


Nine as the Apostles (when three went on vacation)

by cantamiomusa, ishyumi



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Chatting & Messaging, Enemies to Friends, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Or at least he thinks so, Slow Burn, Unrequited Love, chan is a good dad, kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-05
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2020-10-10 15:49:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 22,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20530559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cantamiomusa/pseuds/cantamiomusa, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ishyumi/pseuds/ishyumi
Summary: Jeongin asks himself if by any chance something he has taken in the last few days has given him amnesia – curse his mother and her homeopathic remedies – because he has absolutely no idea who the two people in front of him are supposed to be.Or: a badly written college AU where a misunderstanding gets Yang Jeongin dragged into Chan's group of friends, Jisung thinks he's straight, Changbin is whipped, and for some reason everyone has a weird obsession with avocado.





	1. Where we have an (un)fortunate series of clichés

**Author's Note:**

> If you like bad soap operas (not that good ones exist), you're in the right place!
> 
> The character's personalities have been modified and exaggerated for comedic purposes, so please don't take them too seriously.
> 
> (On a side note: if you're Italian and you think you found some kind of references, that's because you probably did)
> 
> We hope you'll enjoy the story!

The day Jeongin starts to believe in his beauty, so highly praised by his mother, is the day when, as soon as he enters the cafeteria, he feels his arm being grabbed by a blondie in his twenties who seems eager to be meeting him. The latter begins to drag him through the crowd, voice that shouts information at the same speed as a Mario Kart turbo card while he points at groups of students piled up at the tables. The only things that Jeongin can actually process, though, are “hi, I’m Chan, your friend’s friend’s friend” and the words “roommate”, “losers” and “chemistry club”.

He doesn’t even have the time to ask himself who his kidnapper even is, that he has to stop with the same abrupt speed with which he had started running. Right in front of him there’s only a big counter that displays lots of packaged salads, blueberry cupcakes and other pre-made food, and a guy with a black apron who is making some coffees by pouring milk foam and cocoa powder into them. His blonde improvised guide - Chan, he forces himself to remember – seems to be there to talk to him and he patiently waits for the bartender to finish serving two girls wearing miniskirts, before trying to get his attention.

The boy turns to them, leaning on the counter, expression curious while he eyes Jeongin as if he is trying to remember whether he has seen him before. In the meantime, Jeongin asks himself if by any chance something he has taken in the last few days has given him amnesia – curse his mother and her homeopathic remedies – because he has absolutely no idea who those two are supposed to be.

«Hey, Minho» Chan greets him, ruffling his hair with one hand, a gesture that seems to leave the other boy kind of annoyed «He’s Bambam’s friend, you know? The one that has just moved and was looking for a roommate»

Minho looks at him for a moment, skeptical, until he seems to remember something and nods, stretching his hand towards Jeongin, who's trying to find a way to tell them that they got the wrong person and that he knows no one with such an absurd name. Still, he accepts Minho’s handshake with an half-assed smile, praying that he will get more information that will hopefully help him understand what the hell is going on.

«Good thing I recognised him» Chan goes on, unperturbed, even though Jeongin would like to tell him that _ no, _ he didn’t recognise anyone «Red t-shirt and ripped jeans, exactly as I was told; thank God you dressed up as Bambam described you or else I would have never found you»

Jeongin reaches the two equally logical conclusions that either Chan mistook him for someone else, or that he is stalked by a certain Bambam who absolutely wants him to be the cafeteria bartender’s roommate – perhaps to obtain some discounts? 

«And so that’s it. I’m sure you’ll get along!» says Chan «Well, that was easy»

Minho, who Jeongin probably starts to consider the only slightly smart person of this whole situation, pays little attention to Chan’s proud stare, leaving his workstation to get closer to Jeongin.

«Lee Minho» he then introduces himself, immediately copied by Jeongin «Ignore Chan, he’s an idiot»

On that matter, Jeongin agrees with him. He’s already starting to like his supposed roommate.

«The flat is not that big, but it’s enough for two people. If you want to pass by before dinner we can discuss the rent and you can occupy your room starting from tonight»

Jeongin thinks that if he wants to clear the misunderstanding he’s still in time. He thinks about the guy who is probably wandering confused around the cafeteria right now, cursing a certain Bambam for giving him false and misleading information, while he waits for a blonde tornado to force him in a slalom among the students. At the end of the day that poor soul deserves this opportunity. 

He is, however, hit by the sudden realization that he’s a broke freshman that hasn’t thought about a better plan to sleep than crashing on the atrium couches.

That stray kid will surely find something better.

Either way, it’s not his business.

«Whenever you want» he replies and, when Minho tells him that he has just finished his shift and that if he wants they can go immediately, he nods, happy to vanish before the legitimate roommate can reach them and steal his place.

Minho asks Jeongin to follow him and the two of them make, yet again, their way through the people looking for a place to seat, not paying attention to Chan who is shouting at them to wait for him.  


Jeongin should feel like an opportunist.

If he has to be honest with himself though, the thing doesn’t bother him in the least. 

「 ♡ 」

«And that’s how I helped another lost soul to find their place in the world»

Chan smiles towards his best friend, who is seating next to him, with an arm around his neck. Woojin smiles in turn and nods, looking a little dazed, perhaps because he had to listen to his friend restlessly talking for forty-five minutes about his heroic deeds.

«I really am good at this»

«You sure are»

Feeling appreciated, Chan goes back to talk about how he is happy that Minho has finally found someone to live with, and that he doesn’t have to worry about him being alone all the time anymore, given how grumpy the guy usually is – he sure hasn’t taken anything from his father, he’s quick to add, huffing when Woojin reminds him that he really should stop acting as if every single one of his friends was also his child.

«This Jeongin seems nice, anyway» he keeps going, ignoring any attack to his parental status «He's just arrived, though. Do you think he knows anyone? He must feel lonely»

«He probably hasn’t been here for more than twenty-four hours, don’t worry» tries Woojin, tightening a little his grip around him, his right hand going to gently caress Chan’s shoulder. Chan – who is not worried, by the way. He even makes sure to point this out – leans his head on Woojin’s chest. 

Woojin doesn’t look convinced, but Chan can’t also take the responsibility for the fact that none of his friends ever believes him. He wonders why, honestly. 

«What I'm saying is that it can be helpful to have someone introducing you to new people»

Woojin rolls his eyes, but doesn't say anything, waiting for Chan to finish his soliloquy. 

«Come on, I obviously can't trust Minho on this» Chan ponders with the same tone as someone who is planning on robbing the Bank of London. 

«It's always up to me to work things out, in the end»

Before Woojin can actually point out that everyone could live perfectly fine without Chan's essential contribution - especially if that someone has talked to him barely once -, Chan lightens up. 

«How about a party?» he exclaims «I already wanted to throw one sooner or later, and there are some people I want to introduce to you, anyway»

Frankly, Woojin would prefer to begin reviewing the notes he took last year to make sure to start the year with all the key concepts well impressed in his mind, but he also knows that, when it comes to Chan, there's little he can do. He sighs, and his mind goes to that poor Jeongin who has no idea of what kind of hell he threw himself into. 

«If you really want to» he says, then, preparing himself for a long night. 

Chan nods and promptly hugs him, before getting up, grabbing his phone and proceeding to text all of his contacts, as he rushes out of his friend's flat to start plannig his welcome party with zero notice. 

«Thanks Woojin, you're always helping me so much!»

Hearing the slam of the door, Woojin shakes his head slightly, and asks himself what he has ever done to deserve Chan in his life. 

Perhaps, if he goes to the party, one of the four hundreds guests might be able to tell him. 

It's not like he has any other option, anyway. 

「 ♡ 」

__

_Out of the fifty-seven people invited to Jeongin's welcome party, only eight actually showed up._

«Ah, there's nothing we can do about it» sighs Chan, who's standing next to Woojin as he looks at the other seven students in front of him, scattered all over his living room.

It's not so unbelievable that, with no more than a two hours notice, there was someone who had found something better to do. Nevertheless, the sequence of negative answers he collected that day was completely unusual – also because of the motivations given by most people to justify their absence, which generated Chan's disappointment and, mostly, his roommates' hilarity, from who had a test to study for the day after, to those who weren't back yet from their summer holidays, and who was occupied with a deadly bridge match on the other side of the city to substitute an ill grandmother.

«Well, but look at the bright side, we're nine!» Chan smiles, as if he is trying to lift the spirits of people that do absolutely not need emotional support «And nine is the perfect number»

Sitting on the corner of the sofa, Changbin, one of Chan's roommates, is not even mildly weirded out by the chatter of a guy that's technically one of his best friends. He looks around the room, trying to find if, among the guests, there's someone he's familiar with, managing to find, other than Chan, two other people only. 

To be honest, he's happy not to find himself in an overcrowded room, his will to party completely overthrown by the tiredness that was thrown back at him with few ceremonies by the school year's beginning.

«You know, like the muses! And the miracle's number» Chan comments, to reinforce his thesis, looking at Woojin to ask for an help that he's not going to get, anyways «And... and the mistic elements of the human body»

«And the Sailor Guardians» esclaims a voice close to Changbin.

Chan brightens up.  


«That's why you're my favourite son, Felix» and after saying that, he blows a kiss to the guy, that rolls his eyes as he realizes that he should have expected such a reaction.

Changbin doesn't know if he finds the situation exhilarating or alarming.

For the sake of his menthal health, he decides not to think about it at all.

«Whatever, I'm really happy you guys can finally meet, have fun!»

Chan ends his speech, motioning for Woojin to follow him in the kitchen, from which he emerges with a bottle of beer and a bright smile.

Changbin eyes for a second both him and his second roommate, Jisung, that just reached the aforementioned couple to chit chat, and realizes he wants something to drink, too. He stands up and goes towards the kitchen, asking himself if it's a good idea to just take something and lock himself in his room to sleep, or to ask Felix if he wants to follow him and binge-watch some tv series.

His arrival in the room, though, makes him reconsider his plans.

The table he's so used to see almost empty is covered by take-away food that could feed an entire army, and on one side there are bottles of sodas and alcoholic beverages. It's not that, however, that catches Changbin's attention, but a guy who's leaning on the sink, while he pours himself some water.

The pale moonlight coming from the window behind him gifts his soft black hair with silvery highlights, in contrast with the lamp hanging from the ceiling, that bathes his skin with intense gold rays. He's wearing a plain black shirt, unbottoned enough to reveal his collarbones, milky complexion that looks even fairer next to the dark cloth.

When he notices Changbin, his face turns towards him, pink lips that curve in a smile, and Changbin thinks that he won't be going to sleep, that night.

After thinking for a second, he decides to prepare himself some coffee, knowing that the last thing he wants is to fall asleep in front of the charming stranger.

«Do you live here?» the guy asks, as Changbin starts opening the kitchen's cupboard to grab a red porcelain cup.

Changbin nods, starting the coffee maker and shifting to admire the guy as he comes closer to him, friendly smile that doesn't falter even for a second. He stretches a hand that Changbin immediately holds, enjoying its softness.

«Hyunjin» the guy introduces himself, velvety voice dripping from his perfect lips «A friend of Chan's, but I think you'd have imagined that»

«Changbin. A friend of Chan's, even if sometimes I regret it»

Hyunjin starts laughing, and a voice in Changbin's head makes him wonder whether the person in front of him is the same Hyunjin Jisung complains about every day. He hopes that's not the case, imagining that Chan would know two homonymous.

Hyunjin looks towards the living room, and Changbin thinks the guy is going to leave him to go back to the other room, but instead the other pouts, joining him again.

«My best friend abandoned me to talk with someone else» he says, while he leans towards Changbin «Let's chat»

It's not a question, but an order well hidden between a huge smile and an innocent expression.

Changbin, anyways, would not make the guy repeat himself.

The idea of "chatting", to be honest, ends up being more about listening to Hyunjin talking about himself, occasionally asking Changbin questions about his major, the clubs he goes to and the people he hangs out with.

Changbin answers with few words, more than happy to put the focus on the other again, while he analizes every single information he gets.

Come on, the Hyunjin in front of him, a desing major in the drama club, is surely not Jisung's Hyunjin, which is... a design major in the drama club.

Oh, well, Changbin may have a problem.

More than one, perhaps, since Hyunjin keeps invading his vital space, touching him occasionally and standing so close to him that there are no more than a few centimeters separating them.

Changbin blames his fourth cup of coffee for his increasing heartbeat, and not the fact that he's drooling for his roommate's "arch-nemesis".

At some point, though, Hyunjin starts staring at the clock on one of the walls, blinking multiple times, realizing how late it has become.

«Seungmin will be wondering if I'm dead» he says.

Changbin doesn't know who he's talking about, but he still nods.

There's a chance that Felix is asking himself if Changbin hasn't fallen asleep in the sink, too.

«I like you, Changbin» Hyunjin goes on «Come at the drama club, tomorrow, we'll continue our conversation»

Without giving him time to answer, Hyunjin says something about stealing his coffee, and the guy actualy takes away his mug from his hands, taking a sip and then giving it back to its owner. He runs towards the living room, not before winking in Changbin's direction.

The latter looks at Hyunjin walking away and then brings the cup to his lips, where Hyunjin's own were a few seconds ago, the mark of his chapstick that smells like cherries and that makes him exhale a long breath. He then decides to shift to the other room too, his body that feels the urge to sit down.

Noticing that the sofa is fully occupied and that all his acquaitances are talking with other people, he chooses to go back to his bedroom and abandon himself to his original plans for the night.

Before vanishing, he glances at the living room one last time, and he sees, almost at the same time, Hyunjin that greets him, and Jisung, that has just left the side of a purple dressed boy – and wasn't him the cafeteria guy? – that, noticing him, offers him a smile.

Oh, yes, Changbin has seriously got a problem.

「 ♡ 」

Minho doesn’t want to talk.

To be fair honest, he accepted coming to that party — if, at the end of the day, he could call it like that — hoping to mingle with the crowd, attach himself to a bottle of vodka and not speak to anyone for the entire length of the night. However, with only eight people other than him in the room, there’s not really anywhere to hide.

His new flatmate — who is, oddly enough, a far more pleasant person that Minho could have ever imagined, too witty to be an acquaintance of Chan’s — left him to go chat with a couple of guys on the sofa, a blondie in military green and a dark haired boy with a peaceful expression. Minho decides that he has nothing better to do than to occupy one of the chairs and pretend that he has something super interesting to read on his phone. Raising his head for a moment, his gaze wanders over the guests, trying to analyze if there’s someone worthy for him to introduce himself to.

A guy wearing black had disappeared in the kitchen about twenty minutes before, and Minho wonders whether Chan’s fridge hides the door to Narnia, since he still hasn’t seen him come back. Maybe he’s talking with that cutie Minho saw going in that direction before him, and in that case he can't really blame him.  
Chan stands in a corner, close to one of the heaters, and he’s conversing with two other people, his laugh that reaches Minho’s ear even if he’s on the other side of the room. It takes Minho a second, though, to realize that one of Chan’s friend is staring at him.

Even if he can’t see him that well, something in that guy makes him think of the protagonist of one of those movies set in high schools that girls enjoy so much. Maybe it’s his honey colored hair, that leaves his forehead uncovered, or the way he’s dressed, or even the way he moves while he tells some stories about something Minho can’t manage to hear. In any case, he’s looking in his direction, eyes fixed on him, and Minho is sure it’s him and no one else because there isn’t anyone by his side.

The instant he notices that Minho is staring back, though, he diverts his gaze. Minho observes him as he assumes a pensive expression, pondering on what to do, and his eyes keep following him as he excuses himself from his group, only to come towards Minho.

God, Minho is going to gladly throw himself out of a window before having to endure a monologue from Chan's umpteenth straight friend about the benefits of sociability.

Even if said straight friend is extremely hot.

Oh,_ come on._

Now that he came closer, Minho has an excellent view, eyes fixed on his golden skin peeking from the white t-shirt’s collar, on his slender legs wrapped in light colored jeans, on his defined eyebrows and his peachy mouth, the lower lip slightly fuller than the upper one.

Minho forces himself to think about the fact that the guy has probably hung out with half of the university’s female population, before he starts talking to him, trying to maintain a neutral tone.

«Uhm.. have we met before and I forgot?» he asks him then, even if he doubts he could have brought himself to forget such a stunning face.

«Oh, no!» the guy hurries to say. He has a really loud voice, more than what Minho usually appreciates, and for a second Minho thinks it’s a consequence of being often in places with deafening music «It’s just that, you know, you’re the cafeteria guy, aren’t you? I’m pretty sure there’s no one that doesn’t know the one who brought the avocado in the school’s salads»

Minho doesn’t even know anymore if it was worth to spend four years of his life working his ass off at college, only to be remembered as nothing more than “the avocado bringer”. He doesn’t have the time to think if he should add it to his c.v., because the blonde starts speaking again.

«I’m Jisung, by the way»

«Minho»

Minho notices that Jisung made himself comfortable next to him, sitting on a chair the opposite way, his chest pressed against the backrest.

«You’re the one that just found a new roommate, right?» Jisung promptly asks him. Before Minho can ask him how he knows that, Jisung adds: «Chan did nothing but talk about you for the entire afternoon, we couldn’t stand it anymore»

After that statement, mostly for how it had been pronounced, Minho bursts out laughing.

«Why, do you live with Chan?» he asks.

«Yeah»

Minho shakes his head. «I’m sorry»

It’s Jisung’s turn to laugh, and his laughter is exactly how Minho thought it would have been, ringing, noisy and that he absolutely does not find endearing, not at all.

«He’s not that bad, actually» Jisung comments, gaze that flies to his friend, a smile that blossoms on his lips. For a little while, Minho thinks it might be worth to have lots of friends, if only to have some of them looking at you with the same affection he sees in the other’s eyes.

And then he curses his brain, if something makes him consider that maybe he’d especially like it if it was Jisung, looking at him like that.

__

_He’s straight he’s straight he’s straight,_ he repeats himself, _look at him, he exudes heterosexuality from every single pore of his perfect face._

__

_Ugh, let’s take away that perfect, maybe._

«But how about you?» and here Minho is really grateful that Jisung is providing a distraction from his thoughts «It’s the first time I hear about someone that reaches his fourth year without a roommate»

«I actually had one, once» Minho corrects him «But it was as if he didn’t exist. A weird guy, I think we didn’t talk more than twice in three years, and then he suddenly left me with a sticky note on the fridge telling me that he was going to live with his boy toy»

«And you were making comments on the fact that I live with Chan?» 

Well, Jisung is not wrong. Maybe sharing a flat with a bizarre dude is a must for a healthy campus life.  
From there on, the conversation goes on smoothly, and Minho understands why the other made his interlocutors laugh so much, a bit ago. His volume is still too high, but the stories he talks about are catching, and Minho is positively impressed by how he manages to make interesting even a small talk about his studies, which by the way are more related to Minho's than what he could have possibly guessed.

At some point, however, Jisung turns his gaze towards the kitchen door, snorting when he sees who’s coming out of it.

«Hyunjin the dumbass always in the way» he says «I better disappear before he infects me with his stupidity»  
After that, he stands up and parts himself from Minho, before going back to Chan, perhaps to tell him that he’s going to hole up in his room.

«Let’s meet each other again, by the way, maybe I’ll catch you in the cafeteria!» he shouts right at him, after Minho watches him greet the guy he thought had died in the depths of Chan’s kitchen.

In spite of everything, Jisung is nice, he thinks, even if he’s shamelessly straight.

Maybe, if he hangs with him enough, his mind will start believing the last part of that statement.

「 ♡ 」

«Can I seat here?»

A pair of black eyes turns towards him, and Jeongin shows off a friendly smile, hoping to get an affermative answer to his question. He really wants to let himself sink in the soft pillows of the blue sofa, and that's why as soon as he had seen that someone had left his place, he had quickly said goodbye to his roommate and tried to get himself a place to seat.

«Sure, go on!»

Jeongin smiles even brighter, while he takes posess of the right side of the couch, his head resting on the backrest. 

Right beside him seats a boy around his age, face slightly squared with a gentle expression painted on it. He's the one who answered him, and who moved slightly to the left to let him have more room to be comfortable, and Jeongin decides that he likes him already. 

«You're the new guy, aren't you?» the boy asks, he then lets out a little laugh «the reason why Chan threw this all party to begin with»

Jeongin decides not to mention the fact that nine guys in a living room staring at each other isn't really included in his idea of "party", settling on just nodding his head. 

«Jeongin»

«Oh, I'm Seungmin, nice to meet you!» the other boy introduces himself, before pointing at the guy seated next to him, who greets Jeongin with a wave of the hand «And he's Felix»

«Nice to meet you»

Jeongin kind of thinks the conversation is going to die there, especially because he notices Seungmin and Felix turning to face each other to exchange a knowing look. He's already preparing himself to pull out his phone and start watching something on YouTube, when Felix resumes the conversation. 

«So, Chan told me you're a friend of his friend, right?»

The two boys are patiently waiting for an answer that Jeongin has honestly no idea how to formulate. If on the one hand he doesn't know how wise it would be to tell two complete strangers about that morning misunderstanding and risk getting evicted, on the other hand he doesn't really feel like ending up in a conversation about his and Chan's supposed common acquaintances and having the truth coming up in a rather embarrassing way. 

«Actually, no» he laughs finally, eyes on Seungmin «To tell the truth Chan mistook me for someone else, but I really needed an apartment and, well, I kind of forgot to correct him»

Seungmin tilts his head on the side, his eyes narrow slightly while he points them into Jeongin's. 

«So, let me understand, Chan got the wrong person»

«Yeah»

«And you didn't tell him»

«Yeah»

«And basically you're now living in an apartment that shouldn't be yours at the expense of a poor freshman who is probably wandering in the hallways asking himself where to spend the night»

Jeongin can feel Seugmin's gaze heavy on him, and he starts to think he maybe took the wrong desicion. He doesn't really care what people think of him, but he would be sorry to have angered one of the few people that made a good impression on him today. 

What happens next though, takes him by surprise. Seungmin starts to laugh and he gives Jeongin a pat on the shoulder. 

«I'd do the same» he says «And honestly, you probably made your roommate a favor, who knows what happens when you live with someone of Bambam's friend group»

Felix agrees with him, nodding vigorously, and in that moment Jeongin understands that he would like to become their friend. 

«Honestly though, I kind of expected it» Felix adds, as soon as he stops laughing. 

«Same» echoes Seungmin «No one that knows Chan has met him in a normal way»

Jeongin has seen Chan barely twice in his life, and the fact that he isn't surprised in the least by Seungmin's statement worries him a bit. 

«How did you meet him then?» he asks Seungmin. 

The latter looks at him, and bursts out laughing again, dismissing him with a nod of his hand.  
«By the way, is the guy at the table your roommate?»

Jeongin doesn't know if it's the case to repeat his question, of which he really wants to know the answer now, but he tells himself he's going to ask him another time, and answers him. 

«Yes, the one with the purple hoodie»

«Ah, ok!» says Seungmin «You know, Felix and I are checking if in two we can give a name to everyone, and you two were the only ones left»

«Ah, Chan didn’t introduce you to Minho?» Jeongin proceeds to ask, surprised to discovered that Chan, apparently, didn’t try to fit the whole university into his house for every new student he met. Maybe the guy’s smarter than what Jeongin gives him credit for.

«Actually, he hadn’t even introduced the two of us» says Seungmin, alluding to him and Felix «We met barely ten minutes ago»

For some reason, being with two people that didn’t know each other that well puts Jeongin at ease, making him stop feeling like a stranger in a tight-knit group that could have way better things to do than to ask the usual boring question one would use with someone just recently met — and Jeongin hates answering to them, by the way.

«But I’ve got no clue on who the guy with him is»

Jeongin turns the speech back on his roommate, who looks more than happy to be talking with a blonde whose voice is clear even to Jeongin’s ears.

«That’s Jisung» Felix supplies for him «I don’t know him that well, but since he lives with my best friend we see each other pretty often»

«Are you talking about Chan’s second flatmate? I think I saw him to some parties, but I’ve never talked to him» Seungmin intervenes.

«Well, it’s that black-haired guy who disappeared into the kitchen» Felix answers, a smile on his lips, «Changbin»

Seungmin looks satisfied with the information he just received, while Jeongin, who has seen two guys with that exact hair color heading to that same direction, still has no clue on who Felix was talking about. His gaze, however, moves to another person, the one that hasn’t left Chan’s side since he entered the room, and who’s now talking with the blonde, as he sips something from a midnight blue mug.

«And what about him?» he points to the stranger.

«The one close to the bookshelf?» Seungmin asks «That’s Woojin, we live together»

It seems like he wants to add something on his behalf, but then someone appears in front of them, sitting on Seungmin’s laps without thinking about it twice, arms that surround his neck. For some reason, Seungmin doesn’t look surprised, and settles on putting his hand on the guy’s hip to keep him steady.

«Is this the gossip circle?» the newcomer asks, angelic face that Jeongin takes a couple seconds to admire «Because I want to join»

«No one was spreading news about anyone» is Seungmin’s answer, even though something in his tone betrays a "not yet" that the guy avoided saying «By the way, he’s Hyunjin»

«His best friend» Hyunjin specifies, looking proud of himself, while he adjusts even more on Seungmin’s legs.

With someone else with them, the four start talking again, the topic of their conversation that doesn’t shift from talking about the people in the apartment. Jeongin manages to get way more information that he would have imagined — from Woojin and the fact that he’s the leader of the “famous” chemistry club Chan was blabbering about at lunchtime, to the fact that the aforementioned Chan has a vast collection of rubber ducks from every single part of the world, and when Hyunjin says that he has just met Changbin, Felix starts talking about how the guy has a part-time job in the cafeteria’s kitchens. 

Jeongin should feel a bit out of place, since he has no anecdotes to share, given that he only knows Minho and has nothing to say about him.  
He doesn’t really care, though, too occupied as he is at laughing at something someone says.

The conversation goes on until Chan notices that it has become late, and goes to retrieve his roommates that had disappeared in their rooms halfway through the night.

Once all nine of them are there, Chan starts talking, with the air of a professor trying to wrap up an interminable lesson.

«Thank you so much for coming, I hope you had fun!» he smiles, and Jeongin can’t even argue with him «Anyways, since we didn’t do much tonight, I’ll throw another party soon, so keep yourself free»

With those words, Chan says goodnight to everyone, as people start flowing out of his apartment. Before they leave, though, Chan goes to Jeongin and gives him his phone number, telling him not to hesitate to call him, if he ever needs something. Jeongin then reaches Minho, and the two of them head towards their home.

There’s a weird, yet pleasant warmth that fills Jeongin’s heart and the boy, deep down, is really grateful that Chan dragged him into this bizarre group.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you survived this miscarriege, we promise it's only going to get worse :)
> 
> Comments will be much appreciated!
> 
> \- will the avocado have a role in this story?  
\- who was Minho's roommate?  
\- will Changbin's chin be scripted in the next episode?
> 
> Answers in the next chapter!


	2. Where Chan befriends people in weird ways

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> «So, how did you meet Chan?»
> 
> Jisung is surprised to hear the boy's question, and has to wait for him to touch his shoulder to draw his attention, before realizing that he has spoken to him.
> 
> «Hm?»
> 
> «How did you meet Chan?» Felix repeats, «I don't know, I feel like it has become a good way to start a conversation»

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, 3 bookmarks and 10 kudos?  
WikiHow: How to handle fame
> 
> Jokes aside, thank you so much to everyone who read and sent kudos, you guys are amazing :3
> 
> With that being said, please do enjoy the chapter!

The undeniable advantages of arriving at the cafeteria almost an hour after lunchtime were, for once, to be able to avoid the buzz of the usual attendance of the place, and to manage to find a table without having to start a fight with those idiots of philosophy major. On the other hand, however, such an important delay also meant that in the windows of the cafeteria there were nothing but leftovers and Changbin, who had to settle for a mere salad for which they had even finished the seasonings, takes care to mentally curse Jisung for forgetting one of his books in his class and forcing him to walk through the entire university campus in search of the lost volume.

His friend, on the contrary, is paying very little attention to that - and Changbin doesn't find it hard to believe, since he managed to grab the last edible thing that was left - and is looking at him from behind a mountain of french fries, with which Changbin hopes he'll suffocate.

Moreover, Jisung is completely ignoring him, ears that don't seem to absorb even a word of the conversation that Changbin is trying to strike up, preferring to keep his eyes fixed on something behind him. At his fourth attempt to say something that is promptly interrupted by his friend's total disinterest in him, Changbin decides that he can't afford to suffer such an affront on an empty stomach, and wonders if he should go and get one of those packets of breadsticks that he hates with all his heart, just to have something to eat.

The second he gets up, however, Jisung seems to notice his presence, an arm that stops him when Changbin tries to stand up.

«What are you doing?»

«I was thinking of going to see if I can get something to choke on and die» is Changbin's lapidary answer, accompanied by a sarcastic smile. 

For a moment, Jisung frowns, and Changbin hopes to have finally gotten a reaction from his interlocutor, but all Jisung says is: «Wait, I'll go, I have to get a drink anyways»

Changbin doesn't know whether to worry about the fact that one of his best friends seems so little concerned by his suicidal thoughts, but he takes advantage of the fact that Jisung left towards the counter to steal half of his remaining fries, while watching him approach the cashier and talk to him for a while.

It's only when Jisung returns, with two bottles of coke and, miraculously, some walnut bread - what happened to that when Changbin had to order, by the way? - that Changbin starts asking himself a couple of questions.

«Since when do you know the avocado guy?»

Jisung, who is pouring his drink, seems surprised by the question, and takes another look at the counter, before shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

«We talked yesterday at Chan's party» he comments, «Well, "party", whatever the hell that was»

Jisung returns to focus on his fries, and before he can notice the lack of some of them Changbin gets his hands on the bread, which he drags without thinking twice on his side of the table.

His curiosity, however, is not satisfied at all.

«Yes, but what is he like?» he urges, eager to know more about the mysterious cashier that everyone is talking about, and that Changbin has seen with very few people, around the school. 

«He's a nice guy» replies Jisung, but he stops there, without adding anything else. Before Changbin can reopen his mouth to ask for more details, however, he resumes his speech.

«By the way, who were _you_ talking to, yesterday?»

The soft loaf of bread between Changbin's lips ends up going completely sideways, and the boy takes advantage of the moment he needs to resume breathing to think of an answer - although, perhaps, dying of asphyxiation could have been a better option than giving Jisung the information he wants.

«Oh, you know» he mutters, filling his mouth with a salad he doesn't even like «Nobody, really»

«As if, you stayed in the kitchen for almost an hour» he goes on «Were you talking to the sink?»

Changbin takes a break to think about what to say after that. "Ah, nothing, I was busy making heart eyes at your archenemy" sounds a little off, and he thinks he should pick another option.

Of course, he could also behave like a mature man, tell Jisung the truth and also tell him that he can't choose who Changbin should hang out with.

That would be smart, but Changbin is a coward, therefore he opts for the second best choice.

«Do not change the topic, Han Jisung» he exclaims, taking care to scan well all the syllables of his friend's name «Not until you explain me why you've been staring at cashier since we arrived»

It's Jisung's turn to choke, and Changbin mentally thanks the Lord.

«I was not staring at anyone» he starts «I was just looking...»

Jisung momentarily lowers his gaze on his phone, as if it contained the answer to the meaning of life, when suddenly he gets up.

«And speaking of looking at things, look at the time! I have to go to the theatre, or this time they'll really take away from me the leading role»

_Co-leading role,_ Changbin thinks, but he doesn't say it out loud. He can't even worry about the fact that Jisung is completely evading his question, though, because another thought creeps into his mind, preventing him from thinking of anything else.

More specifically, a thought that has to do with a mother-of-pearl face and a cascade of corvine locks.

«Come on, hurry up, I'm coming with you», he says, the astonishment that lights up in Jisung's face, recognizable from a distance of meters.

«What's wrong with you today?» Changbin hears the other boy ask, as if it wasn't Jisung who's been behaving in a bizarre way since they met «In two years you never wanted to come with me, not even by accident» 

Changbin stops to think that what he has just said, in fact, sounds slightly suspicious, but Jisung is not in a position to force his hand, so he decides to straight-up ignore him.

«Jisung, come on» he comments, placing his hand on his shoulder «You're one of my best friends, why shouldn't I?»

Jisung seems even more puzzled, but Changbin takes care to remind him that he had said he was late and the guy, as if he had just remembered his words, moves towards the exit with quick steps.

Changbin doesn't let slip another look the blonde sends behind him, towards the brown-haired boy who is finishing to serve one last coffee.

「 ♡ 」

When Hyunjin sees Jisung entering the theatre, he knows that his day will only get worse.  
It's only after he notices someone behind him - he can't blame himself for not seeing him before, by the way, he didn't believe there was anyone shorter than his theatre mate - that he starts to rethink his previous statement.

For the first time since Hyunjin joined the drama club, he sees the guy from the night before - Changbin? Something like that, anyways - who's chatting with Jisung about something he, sitting on the edge of the stage, can't manage to hear. What he doesn't miss, however, is the gaze of the black-haired boy, which quickly flies from Jisung to Hyunjin himself.

At the third time he sees himself being stared at, the latter wonders if Changbin doesn't want something from him. Not that it would surprise him, since Hyunjin is quite sure to have seen him very charmed by his person, the night before.

As Hyunjin begins to worry that Changbin's neck is going to be dislodged by the constant movement it is subjected to, Jisung parts from him, running behind the scenes, not before sending Hyunjin an annoyed glance. He pays little attention to that, busy as he is to notice that, the second he realizes Jisung's disappearance, Changbin begins to stare at him even more intensely, body facing him that moves forwards and then stops, as if he is wondering whether to approach him.

Hyunjin, amused and very happy to have something to tease Jisung with, greets him waving his hand a little, laughing at Changbin's eyes that fix on the tip of his fingers, before the boy rushes towards the stage to seat next to him.

«Hello» Hyunjin says «It's weird to see you here»

Changbin widens his eyes for a moment. «Oh, it's just that Jisung asked me to come with him»

_Of course,_ thinks Hyunjin, who is not surprised at all of seeing Changbin there for the first time and casually the day after their meeting in Chan's kitchen.

Not that he cares much about his motives, even if they're plainly obvious.

«Shouldn't you be helping Jisung then, instead of being here talking to me?»

At that moment, Hyunjin thinks that the bright red on Changbin's cheeks is harmonizing very nicely with the stage's crimson curtain.

«Well, you know, they don't allow so many people in the backstage»

Hyunjin, who has brought everyone behind the scenes, would like to contradict him, and would gladly do so if it wasn't for the fact that he would lose the pleasure of talking to Jisung's roommate, who, all things considered, is still a person he likes.

«Yeah» he replies, with a smile on his lips, and he's sure he can hear Changbin sighing noisily, as if he'd just taken a big weight off his shoulders.

The silence drops between them for a second, before Changbin starts talking again.

«Uhm... anyway, how's the making of the show going?» he asks, leaning a little towards him, «Jisung told me that you two will be the protagonists»

Hyunjin refrains from saying that his role is way more important than Jisung's, in favor of starting to talk about the show, the changes they made to the original script and the choices of costumes. He has to admit that he is happy to be able to talk to someone about it - Seungmin, his usual confidant, usually stops him after ten minutes, saying he has his paperwork to do. 

Or at least, he would be, if it wasn't for the fact that Changbin isn't listening to him.

Hyunjin admires Changbin's attempts to grasp a few words from his speech - and to answer, even, but never with more than "ah, interesting" - when all the boy seems to be doing is keeping his irises pointed at the curve of Hyunjin's lips, a gesture that Hyunjin can't even justify with the fact of being much taller than his interlocutor.

«Changbin, are you following me?» he asks him at some point «'Cause I can stop if you want»  
For once, Changbin shifts his gaze to his eyes, the air of someone who clearly has no idea what to say.

«Oh, no» he calms him down, trying to take on a reassuring expression that Hyunjin, after all, finds adorable.

What comes next from Changbin's mouth, however, threatens to make Hyunjin fall to the ground while he refrains from bursting into laughter.

«It's just that you have beautiful lips, so I was wondering what kind of chapstick you use»

_Is he trying to be subtle?_ asks himself Hyunjin, who is afraid that the answer would be a worrying yes. But, at least, Changbin realizes what he has just said, and is about to start talking again, perhaps to correct himself, when Hyunjin stops him, a hand that goes to rummage through the pocket of his backpack to extract a candy pink stick. He opens it, and he decides to put it on, a red cream which goes to colour his lips and which attracts even more attention from Changbin, who seems almost hypnotized by the movement of his hand.

He then hands that over to the boy, who brings it close to him with a pleased smile.

«I really like its perfume» he then says, «Does it taste good too?»

Hyunjin, at this point, thinks he's really a good actor, given all the nonchalance he's showing off in front of the other's embarrassing attempts to approach him.

He doesn't even know why he hasn't excused himself from this conversation yet, as he always does in such cases – and he wouldn't usually stoically tolerate anything like that, not even for the pleasure of seeing Jisung's expression of disappointment – but something in his head tells him that it's because Changbin is kind and good-looking, and Hyunjin opts for that explanation without thinking twice.

Moreover, he doesn't deny that he doesn't mind, for once, some attentions kinder than the usual sad pick-up lines that he regularly hears at the parties he attends.

«Well, yes, it does» he comments, and to prove his point he slightly chews his lower lip, rejoicing in Changbin's expression at that gesture.

«I'd like to try it, one day» answers Changbin, who tries to recover once he realizes that he has expressed his thoughts out loud «I mean, I think I should buy one»

Hyunjin is about to reply, when he hears a sharp scream coming from the other side of the stage and, narrowing his eyes, he manages to see one Han Jisung in all the blaze of his anger that comes towards them at a marching pace.

«SEO CHANGBIN» he hears the boy shouting against his little conquest «Oh my God is that why you begged me to take you with me? I can't believe you»

Hyunjin, who silently laughs at the fact that Jisung has just exposed Changbin's already obvious lie, decides he has fulfilled his daily mission and thinks he has nothing more to do. Putting away his chapstick, he pulls out a notebook, from which he tears out a sheet of paper he starts writing on, before folding it up carefully.

He approaches Changbin's face, voice whispering something in his ear, and he swears to hear the guy's body temperature rise, while he shoves the piece of paper into one of his pockets.

«My number» he says «If you ever get tired of Jisung»

Having said that, he throws a wink at Changbin and heads out, leaving behind a murderous look and one that communicates everything else.

Well, he may not have rehearsed much, but he certainly did something way more interesting.

「 ♡ 」

The rehearsals went well despite the absence of one of the protagonists, who had left for apparently unknown reasons, and Chan prepares to return home, putting the script in his backpack and retrieving the sweatshirt he had thrown somewhere in the dressing rooms. He had seen Changbin passing by, before starting, and he was sorry he didn't manage to greet him, but the boy had disappeared a few minutes after his arrival, so he had no choice but to wait to see him again for dinner. 

It's while he's about to head out, however, that he sees Woojin's dark head peeping out of one of the doors, and his best friend approaching him, a bright smile on his face and a bag full of books hanging from his shoulder. 

«Hi» he says, «I just finished my classes, do you want to go get something to drink?»

«Oh, sure!»

Chan smiles too, and looks at Woojin who, with an happy air, tries to return to his footsteps. He's about to follow him, when he hears a sound coming from the backstage and, looking back, he sees Jisung who's going home with the indecipherable expression that Chan has seen on him all afternoon, but which certainly doesn't seem particularly cheerful.

Perhaps he was upset that Hyunjin had abandoned him and forced him to act with a low-talented freshman as a substitute? It seemed strange to him, Jisung had always seemed happy not to have to spend his time with the other boy – to Chan's great regret, given that he just wanted no reason for discord in his extended family.

Well, Jisung certainly needs a break to relax, and what kind of unworthy father would he be if he didn't give him a helping hand? 

«Woojin, wait!» he stops the dark-haired guy with one hand.

«Yeah?» replies Woojin, surprised, «Did you forget something?»

«Obviously not» replies Chan, as if he didn't always have the tendency to leave personal items scattered around the theater «It's just that I was thinking of inviting Jisung as well»

Woojin, from the height of the few centimetres with which he dominates over Chan, stares at him for a moment. 

«Jisung?» echoes him, more and more perplexed.

«Yeah, the guy from yesterday's party, you know? You two seemed to get along»

Woojin takes on an expression that Chan attributes to his failure to remember the events of the night before – is he that old already? Chan should worry, since they're the same age –, and he then mutters an: «Okay, yeah, sure»

There's something in his voice, though, that sounds off, and Chan starts worrying about having said something wrong, or that he wasn't right when he thought Jisung and Woojin liked each other. On the other hand, the conversation of the night before had seemed quite pleasant to him, so there's something he can't explain himself.

«Is everything okay?» he asks him, then, worried, «We can go alone, if you prefer»

Woojin takes on a softer look, and Chan immediately feels reassured.

«I'm just a little tired»

Chan stretches out a hand to mess up his hair with loving care, before running in the direction of Jisung, whose name he begins to shout.

«Then you're gonna have a huge cup of coffee, my treat!» he says to Woojin, halfway through his screams, and he's happy to see him holding back the smile that blooms on his lips.

「 ♡ 」

Woojin is pretending to look with interest at his sweets menu, well aware that in the end he's going to order the usual slice of black forest cake, when all he is doing is trying to follow the conversation between Chan and Jisung, who have been chatting since they left the theater.

It's almost sunset time, and it's getting cold on the place's veranda; Woojin, who had the bad idea of not bringing a jacket with him, is clutched at Chan's chest, his head resting on his shoulder. The blonde doesn't seem annoyed at all by the gesture – on the contrary, the instant he saw Woojin approaching, he immediately surrounded him with his arm – but it wasn't enough to attract his attention, the gaze that never detaches from Jisung as he tells him a story about people Woojin doesn't know.

The first time he sees a different reaction coming from Chan is when the coffee shop's door opens, and a boy comes out with a glass full of some sort of strawberry smoothie in his hand, and Woojin hears his friend's body flicker.

«Oi Felix!» he calls him out loud, until the boy takes off his airpods and turns in their direction, and it is in that moment that Woojin recognizes him as one of the people of last evening.

Felix comes towards them, going to settle down near Jisung, and Chan takes advantage of it to make some proper introductions.

«Felix, I guess you already know Jisung, don't you? Anyways, he's Woojin» he says, pointing at a Woojin who immediately reaches out in the direction of the blonde. 

«Hi, Chan has told me a lot about you»

Felix smiles, shaking his hand, before beginning to sip his drink from a multicolored straw.

«Well, I could say the same about you» he comments, and Woojin can only feel happy about the news «It's nice to finally meet the famous best friend»

There is a further exchange of smiles between the two, interrupted by Chan turning to Woojin, to resume talking.

«So, what do you think about them?» he asks him, in a tone of voice that only Woojin can hear, «They're nice, aren't they?»

Woojin doesn't have any material elements to judge, but to Chan's delight he just nods, because after all they seem like nice people to him, and also because he likes the way Chan's expression lights up at that gesture of his. 

«I've already said that, but I'm glad that in the end only the nine of us were left» says Chan «I think we're going to become a great group»

Woojin, for the second time, decides to prove him right, muttering a "mh-mh", while he snuggles even more against the guy. From the position he's in, he can see Chan's face from below, his black irises sparkling under the soft light, and it's a nice change of perspective, for once.

«One of those who last a lifetime, you know?» continues Chan, and Woojin can't even blame him for the fact that he always tends to start blabbering about anything he's invested with. «Of those who continue to hang out after college, and who have lunch together during their work breaks, and who write those tear-jerking speeches at each other's weddings... except for Minho maybe, I can't see him pulling out more than five lines»

Woojin is excused from answering thanks to the arrival of a waitress, who takes their orders and does not even seem weirded out by the five or six changes that Jisung makes to his order.

«Anyways, Woojin» Chan comments once their sweets arrive, the fork that goes to retrieve one of the sour cherries on top of the raven haired boy's cake, and his lips that turn purple as soon as the fruit disappears in his mouth «When I get married, you'll be my best man»

Woojin, who is not in the state of facing such a conversation, simply answers _yes,_ his fingers clutching around the handle of his cutlery.

«Well, I hope I'll be yours too, then» is Chan's next sentence, «I'd make a really nice speech for you»

Woojin has so many things he would like to say, but he also knows he won't make it, so he decides it's worth it not to cause further damage.

«I don't doubt it» he says, but for some reason, in fact, he hopes he will never have to find himself in the situation to verify it.

「 ♡ 」

Jisung had been abandoned by many people during the afternoon – from Changbin who had fled to evade his responsibilities as the vile traitor he is, to Hyunjin (thanks to Heaven) – but when he had also found himself ignored by Chan, he had begun to think that perhaps there was something wrong with that day. 

Not that his roommate was forced to spend the whole afternoon entertaining him; on the contrary, he had been nice to invite him and to offer himself to pay for his double cappuccino with four pumps of hazelnut, two of vanilla and soya whipped cream, but he had gone from talking like a machine gun to turning to Woojin to talk about children and marriages and other things that Jisung gladly lived without knowing.

The boy finds himself looking at the only other person who isn't conversing, Felix, who is trying to finish his smoothie while stealing almond cookies from Chan's plate. Jisung could easily speak to him: theoretically, he's seen the blond spend more time in their apartment than in his own for two years. To be honest, however, he has never spoken to him for more than a few greetings, and the longest sentence he had ever said was perhaps a "Changbin is waiting for you in his room", so the boy finds himself thinking about what to do for a moment.

«So, how did you meet Chan?»

Jisung is surprised to hear the boy's question, and has to wait for him to touch his shoulder to draw his attention, before realizing that he has spoken to him.

«Hm?»

«How did you meet Chan?» Felix repeats, «I don't know, I feel like it has become a good way to start a conversation»

Jisung bursts out laughing, but he can't actually blame him.

«Ah, it's a long story» is his answer «We were in high school and every day Chan was always aiming for a snack of the vending machines, and I always took the last one left, a minute before he could get his hands on it. Then one day I see him stop by a corridor and he asks me, "well, one day you could leave me one of those". I said "no" to him, and from there we've always been together»

Felix nods, and it's obvious that he has known Chan for quite some time, because he doesn't seem surprised at all. This may even be because of the fact that, at the end of the day, his meeting with Chan isn't even the most particular – who knows if Changbin has told him about that time when he had mistaken Chan for a drug addict and had tried to sell him some stuff. 

«And what about you?» he repeats the question.

Felix takes his eyes off his stack of stolen cookies, and Jisung seems to see him blush for a moment.

«Ah, it's kind of embarrassing» he explains «One day I lost an important project and when I came out of class crying, I hugged the first person I found, who happened to be Chan»

«And he didn't say anything?»

«He gave me ten packets of tissues, helped me look for the project and eventually invited me to dinner, and there I found out he was Changbin's friend and I stopped asking myself questions»

Jisung, who wants to avoid at all costs talking about his roommate and the affront the latter has just brought him, decides that it's a great idea to move their conversation to something else – read: teasing Chan, which is always so much fun. That turns out to be extremely simple, and a moment later the two find themselves talking about majors, that unbearable music professor that they have in common and the last movie released at the cinema near campus, that they both want to go and see.

It's a pleasant conversation, which makes Jisung wonder why he and Felix never spoke much, when the blond is a good friend of both his roommates. In fact, Jisung is very happy to accept Felix's proposal to accompany him the next day to see the movie they were talking about, and when Felix realizes that he has forgotten to return a usb to his professor, Jisung offers to go with him, just to continue the conversation.

Felix gets up and recovers his things, and Jisung mirrors him, but before leaving he takes a look at Woojin and Chan, still busy chatting about God knows what.

«Should we say goodbye?» he asks Felix, who is already on his way towards campus.

«Are you kidding me?» is the answer he gets, «It's already a lot if they notice we're gone»

Jisung, who can't help but agree with him, just nods and follows him.

「 ♡ 」

Changbin has been sitting at the kitchen table for about ten minutes, and he still can't explain himself the annoyed stare that Jisung has been giving him since he sat down. 

Or rather, it's not that he can't understand it, but he truly wishes that Jisung would stop ruining one of the few dinners that they can spend together just because Changbin tried having a conversation.

It's not his fault, after all, if the only person in this college that Jisung can't stand is the most enchanting creature that has ever set foot on Earth.

«So...» Chan suddenly breaks the embarrassing and unusual silence that has fallen between them, turning to Changbin «What were you doing today at the drama club?»

Jisung drops his chopsticks into the bowl he's eating from, and Changbin acts like nothing happened.

Chan first looks at Changbin, then at Jisung, and blinks a couple of times, confused. Changbin honestly doesn't know how he can't be aware of Jisung's little outburst that afternoon, as his screams were probably hearable all over the institute.

«Well, did something happen?» Chan asks again, only getting a puff from Jisung in response. 

The blond, resigned, returns to look at his plate, before getting tired again of the silence and going back to talk.

«So, Jisung, when did you and Felix leave? Woojin and I would have taken you back, if you had told us»

«Ah, you met Felix?» says Changbin before Jisung can answer, hoping that it will help him have a civil conversation with his roommate, and God knows that Changbin hates the idea of Jisung being mad at him, however stupid his friend's motives for being angry may be.

«Yes» Jisung answers, but the smile he offers to Changbin is not reassuring at all «Because unlike _someone_ I hang out with my friends' _friends_, not with their enemies»

Changbin raises his eyes to the sky, and that's where Chan realizes what must have happened.

«Did something happen with Hyunjin?» the guy asks, and as much as he likes to hear that name, Changbin would prefer that Chan never pronounced it. 

Seeing Jisung's expression change from slightly bothered to sufficiently altered, the raven-haired realizes that a long evening is awaiting him.

«I don't know Chan, ask Changbin» is Jisung's answer.

Changbin, who can't stand it anymore, and who honestly hasn't even understood well for what the hell of a reason the boy is so hostile to who, good-looks apart, is still a person with a pleasant personality – Changbin is biased, but he doesn't think to have such an obfuscated judgment.

«I still don't understand why you don't like Hyunjin» he then expresses his thoughts, aware that the evening can't go much worse than that «He's nice»

«He's "nice," as you say, until you know him» is Jisung's immediate response, who looks at him angrily from the other side of the table «Then you realize that the only thing in his favor is his pretty face, and after a while that also starts to get on your nerves»

Changbin would like to rebut that there is nothing wrong with Hyunjin, but admitting it could also lead Jisung to wonder if the two haven't by any chance had more conversations than those mere ten minutes at the club, and to a series of questions to which Changbin does not want to answer. 

Jisung must realize that he is is taking too long to reply, however, because his expression relaxes a bit, and the boy gets up to meet him, putting a hand on his shoulder and addressing him a smile that, this time, is more sincere.

«I'm sorry I raised my voice» Changbin hears him say «But I really mean it, you should stay away from him, if you want to hang out with someone you'll find better than that dumbass»

After that, Jisung claims to be tired and leaves, leaving Changbin alone with Chan, who seems well offended by the fact that Jisung has left half of the food he had taken so long to prepare. The blond, however, soon notices the expression on Changbin's face: the boy doesn't know how to deal with Jisung's speech when he still has Hyunjin's number well stuck inside his pocket, and Chan lets a sort of subdued laughter slip from his mouth.

«Hyunjin isn't that bad, actually» is Chan's comment, which for some reason reassures Changbin much more than it should «He's a good guy, but don't expect Jisung to start liking him; I still remember when I first went to the drama club and I saw those two almost throwing hands at each other»

«And was that the first time you saw Hyunjin?»

Chan, who is putting Jisung's leftovers in the fridge, turns to Changbin, showing off a smile.

«Yeah» he answers, before going to retrieve his empty dish to put it in the dishwasher.

Changbin, who tries to imagine the scene of Chan trying to separate the two guys fighting, ends up laughing. A moment later, he decides to go to sleep, too, remembering that he will have to wake up way too early the next morning to go to one of his classes at fifteen past seven.

There's only one sentence left in his head, though, and he makes sure to tell Chan before he leaves, immediately after wishing him good night.

«You really do make friends in weird ways»

「 ♡ 」

_You created the group chat_  
** Nine or none**

**Chan**

Hi!  


after yesterday's party's success, i thought it was a good idea to create a group to hang out together sometimes ;) ;) ;) ;)

**Jisung**

What kind of name is that? We've known each other for, like, 24 hours

Minho _has changed the name of the group chat to_ **Nine as the Apostles**

**Minho**

Fixed it

**Felix**

the apostles aren't nine tho?????

**Minho**

They're not?

**Hyunjin**

No, they're twelve (*^ω^*)

**Minho**

Well, one plus two makes three, and three times three? Nine  
Everything makes sense

**Jisung**

And six times seven forty-two, plus two forty-four.

**Jeongin**

???

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://youtu.be/2jDOj0Xhcc8
> 
> \- Hyunjin, Hyunjin, Hyunjin, if you're so bloody obsessed with him, why don't you just marry him already?  
\- how many digits does Hyunjin's number have?  
\- will Felix ever have a pov?  
\- does Jisung only eat avocado?
> 
> See you in the next chapter!


	3. Where Jeongin third wheels like a pro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> «I don't know» the boy says, «They say we're all a little bit gay, after all»
> 
> «Ah, I think all my homosexuality has been taken away by Binnie» insists Jisung, who has no intention of surrendering to the other's provocations.
> 
> «I'm sure it has»

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks to those who read and liked the last chapters!  
Please, help us reaching our goal to have more readers than Manzoni ♡
> 
> (Warnings for: the writers trying to create their own young adult in the last scene)
> 
> Enjoy the reading!

_You opened the group chat_  
** Eight apostles and one Chris(t)**

****

**Seungmin **

Hey, I'm going to the cafeteria, is someone joining me?

「 ♡ 」

Being the only one who had answerd to Seungmin's invitation, Jeongin had imagined spending the morning alone with the boy sitting at a table in the cafeteria.

To tell the truth, he would have lied if he had said that the idea hadn't bothered him in the least – no matter how much fun he had a few days before, at the party, it was also true that Felix and Seungmin had handled most of the conversation – so the fact that Hyunjin was there with them had helped to reassure him.

However, Jeongin can't help but wonder how useful his presence is in the scenario ahead of him.

From the little he has understood about the relationship between the two, Seungmin and Hyunjin have known each other since high school and have been best friends ever since, so Jeongin wouldn't have found it odd in the slightest to feel excluded from the two's chitchat. However, there is a limit to everything, and Jeongin thinks they passed it at least half an hour ago.

His day began with a long walk in the hallway behind the couple of friends holding each other's hands with absolute nonchalance, chatting quietly and laughing at anecdotes that Jeongin had failed to grasp. That was followed by the division of seats at the table, and Jeongin had found himself in front of Hyunjin and Seungmin glued together, passing each other pieces of pancakes and canned fruits. 

Throughout the conversation, they had spoken to him three times, and each of them ended with Seungmin or Hyunjin immediately changing topic without waiting for Jeongin to formulate his answer, from a "what time do you finish your classes?" that led them to talk about the fact that they had anticipated the beginning of the rehearsal of the drama club, to a "so, what is your favorite colour?" that had turned into a ten-minute talk about the paint that Hyunjin should use for his living room.

(In the end, the heated debate ended with the election of water chestnut white, even if Jeongin hadn't even understood the difference between that and the other twenty-five shades that had been proposed)

Jeongin thinks something's wrong, though.

During breakfast, while trying to finish his huge bowl of steamed eggs, he had gone back to his first meeting with the boys. Not having drunk a single drop, he couldn't even blame alcohol for making him forget about the details of the evening, and yet the only explanation he can give himself is to have lost some information.

When he and Hyunjin had met for the first time, the latter had introduced himself as Seungmin's best friend, but did that justify what Jeongin was witnessing?

Well, Jeongin is quite sure that friends do not tend to be constantly all over each other, wiping whipped cream off the corner of the other's lips with their fingertips and smiling like idiots.

Perhaps he had misheard something?

Maybe instead of "best friend" Hyunjin had said "boyfriend" and Jeongin had misunderstood. It would have made sense, since the first thing Hyunjin had thought of doing was to sit on the other's lap.

Well, it's not like Jeongin has better things to do, so he chooses to dispel his doubt. At least he can say that he hasn't completely wasted his morning.

«Are you two dating?» 

Hyunjin lets his hand fall back on the table, leaving his grip on the strands of Seungmin's hair that he was lovingly arranging, blabbering something about the fact that the boy looked really cute, now that he had let his hair grow a bit.

Seungmin, on the other hand, decides that this is a good time to start staring at his half-empty plate.

«Huh? No» is the latter's answer «No way»

«What makes you think so?» comments the other, eyelashes fluttering several times as if he was completely unaware of everything he did.

«Nothing, nothing»

To tell the truth, Jeongin could make a one hundred and twenty-seven pages presentation in support of his more than legitimate question, but he doubts that he will get away with it. 

«Speaking of people who are together, are those Minho and Jisung?»

Seungmin, as usual, enjoys changing the subject and, turning around, Jeongin notices that behind him there are actually the two guys, who are chatting regardless of the line of people that are trying to order something. 

«I don't know, I've been seeing them together for a couple of days, I didn't know they were friends»

At the second comment of his boyfriend-friend (Jeongin has no idea anymore), Hyunjin bursts out laughing.

_«Friends» _ he hurries to say, «Well, that Lee Minho likes boys is certainly not a secret»

Seungmin is about to reply, when the other interrupts him again, a hand that goes to close his mouth.

«It's not as Jisung is interested, though, is he? He and his _infamous_ straightness. Well, better for Minho, he's really not missing out on anything»

From there, Seungmin and Hyunjin begin a debate on the possible implications of the two's meeting, and from what little Jeongin manages to grasp Hyunjin is starting to make hypotesis worthy of a very low-level romantic comedy while Seungmin tries to bring him back to Earth because "not everyone goes with the first one that passes by, you know".

Jeongin, who starts to get interested at the mention of a possible school gossip, realizes that he has a class to attend, and thinks it's better to avoid making a bad impression on the teachers in the first week of his first semester – there will be time for that, after all. 

A moment later, he apologizes to his company which, well, was of little company in any case, and leaves the cafeteria going towards one of the corridors.

「 ♡ 」

«Do you like, live here or something?»

Jisung settles down in front of Minho without too many ceremonies, his body way too pushed over the counter and towards the other guy. Minho looks at him for a moment, before smiling and returning to concentrate on what he was doing, that is resorting bowls of fruit salad that have just arrived from the kitchen.

«I don't know, I work here, what's _your_ excuse?»

Looking at Minho's provocative gaze, Jisung has nothing better to do than laugh. And he does, indeed, regardless of the fact that half of the cafeteria turns to him to understand the origin of such a noisy sound.

Minho, however, doesn't seem to mind, continuing to do his job without even turning around.

«Well, every time I come you're here, do you even have time to study?»

Truth to be told, Jisung doesn't work and the time he spends on books is still equal to zero, but he decides not to tell him, waiting instead for an answer from the other.

«Maybe fate wants us to be together», Minho replies with a wink, before returning to a serious expression «I actually only work in the morning or at lunchtime»

Jisung nods, and for some reason he feels oddly interested, although, in fact, they are not talking about anything important. In any case, he doesn't have a lot of common topics with Minho, but he wants to keep talking to him, so he decides to ask him a couple more questions.

«And what is it like to work here?» he says, genuinely curious, while he looks at the list of drinks and chooses what to order, since in theory he came down for breakfast. Maybe he'll get advice from Minho, just to try something new.

«Nasty» is the comment of the brunette «But you have to pay your rent one way or another»

Jisung can't relate, since most of their household expenses are paid by Chan's huge bank account, but maybe it's not a good idea to say that either. He's looking for a joke to reply with, when he sees a couple of girls approaching them, trying to order.

Jisung steps aside, letting them pick something and take it away, but he doesn't miss the looks they throw at Minho, eyes that don't come off him for a second until the girls leave them to join their group of friends at a table.

Well, Minho is objectively an handsome guy, so it doesn't surprise him.

«You're popular» he states, finally giving voice to his thoughts «Well, with that face, I'm not surprised»

Minho starts staring at him, and Jisung doesn't understand why he's so puzzled. He must have looked in a mirror at least once, right?

«I mean, who knows how many phone numbers you get every day» he insists, «Maybe I should come and work here, too»

«Well, not that I care» Minho finally decides to answer him, «I'm gay»

Minho must have noticed that Jisung is staring back at him, trying to find something to tell him. To be honest, Jisung doesn't have the slightest problem with it, but he has absolutely no idea how to reply. 

What should he say, "ah, I'm happy for you"? He didn't give him such shocking news, come on. 

Completely ignore the thing, or change the subject? Well, but then it would seem that Jisung is feeling uncomfortable, which is completely untrue. 

Or–

«You have a problem with that?» Minho asks him, and Jisung immediately notices the harshness in his tone, so he feels obliged to reassure him as quickly as possible.

«No, no, no, not at all!» he exclaims, «I mean, I'm not... but I have a lot of gay friends, I swear!»

Minho bursts out laughing, and Jisung knows it's because of the ridiculous tone of his answer, but he's still happy to have put him more at ease. In any case, he decides to continue to support his thesis.

«I mean, Changbin's pan, Chan's bi... and for some reason, Chan only has queer friends»

«Well, you know what they say, gay people stick together» says Minho, who apparently is enjoying teasing Jisung for his awkwardness. From the look he addresses him to his tone of voice, however, there is a vague allusion that Jisung manages to grasp and hurries to disprove.

«Well, I guess I'm the exception that confirms the rule, then» he laughs.

Minho turns to the machines for a moment, deciding he wants a coffee. He pours two cups, and extends one towards Jisung, who thanks him with a smile.

«I don't know» the boy says, «They say we're all a little bit gay, after all»

«Ah, I think all my homosexuality has been taken away by Binnie» insists Jisung, who has no intention of surrendering to the other's provocations.

«I'm sure it has»

The silence falls for a moment between the two, and Jisung realizes that he has nothing more to say, so it feels better to stop the conversation there. However, the desire to talk to Minho still remains; for some reason, chatting with the boy amuses him very much.

«What time do you get off work?»

«I only have the morning shift, but I finish classes at six» is the reply he gets from Minho, who is obviously trying to figure out what Jisung is doing.

«Well, tonight Chan cooks, since he has some spare time. Changbin invited Felix, so if you're not busy you can join us»

«I'd love to» Minho says, and Jisung really likes his pretty smile.

Well, Jisung is happier not to have to spend the evening being completely ignored by the couple of best friends and with Chan forcing him to help him clean the dishes, so he imagines that a very similar one has bloomed on his lips, too.

「 ♡ 」

«You look tired»

Hyunjin, sitting on the couch of his apartment, sees Seungmin re-emerging from his kitchen with a cup of tea in his hand, and sitting next to him, letting Hyunjin surround him with his arm.

«We spent most of the day together, and you're noticing this _now_?»

Hyunjin smiles at the pitiful expression of his friend, who sinks his face even deeper into the hollow of his neck, while he caresses his soft chocolate hair. 

«So, let's say I see you even more tired than usual, and I doubt it's the fact that you decided to wake up at five to take pictures of the dawn»

Seungmin pouts. «It's nothing. I don't want to go home, I guess»

«Go home?»

Hyunjin raises an eyebrow, skeptical, although he is aware that the other can't see him. Even if he considers himself a delightful and pleasant presence, he doubts that this is the reason behind his friend's complete lack of willingness to return to his four walls. 

At this point, there are two options: either Chan wants to use the boy's apartment for a private gathering of seventy-five people (unlikely, Seungmin's house is too small and full of paperwork to host any social event), or something happened with Woojin. However, his second theory seems equally unlikely: as little as he knows him, the other doesn't seem to be a problematic person, and he's been hanging out with Seungmin long enough to know that he wouldn't argue about anything trivial.

«Come on, what happened? Did they organize the college's autumn festival under your apartment complex again?»

Hyunjin barely remembers the festival of the year before, except for the fact that he drank way too much maple-syrup flavoured beer – which, by the way, was absolutely disgusting – and woke up the next morning in Seungmin's bed, hugging the latter who pointed out how Hyunjin had asked him to take the first plane to Las Vegas and marry him.

Ah, he missed the old good times.

«They canceled it when they noticed that half of those present had almost ended up in an ethyl coma» is the comment of Seungmin, who at least laughs softly, the sound of it that vibrates against Hyunjin's skin «No... it's Woojin's fault»

«Huh? What could he possibly have done to you, that boy literally looks like a big bear plushie»

Seungmin sighs, pulling himself up and trying to finish his tea, now half cooled, too infused and probably undrinkable. Hyunjin, out of pity, decides to take it out of his hands, and place it on the table in front of him.

«It's just that he's been talking about Chan for days» is the answer he gets «I mean, nothing new about that. But recently he's only been talking about Chan. I swear that rather than hearing another speech about how dumb and blind and _fantastic he is, God, Seungmin, have you seen the way he smiles?_–»

Hyunjin bursts out laughing at his best friend's bad falsetto, interrupting his speech.

«Ah, yeah, Chan sucks when it comes to love» he says, still halfway through his laughter.

Seungmin looks at him from the position where he is, offended by the fact that the other does not seem to understand the seriousness of the situation.

«And so, as I was saying, I'd rather have accepted your stupid proposal for an American wedding»

«The offer is still valid, babe» Hyunjin says, popping a kiss on his cheek and earning an expression equally annoyed and amused from the other «But you have to hurry, because apparently there is a line to go out with me»

«A line?» Seungmin echoes him.

«As always»

Hyunjin giggles as he notices that, in any case, the screen of his phone has lit up, and it's because of the one person he was referring to. Hyunjin decides that he will read the message later – living alone, his evenings always turn out to be quite boring anyways – and focuses back on Seungmin, who's staring at him.

«Who was that?»

«One of those in line, actually»

Seungmin looks at him even more puzzled.

«Did you go clubbing yesterday? I thought you had to study»

«Nah» Hyunjin says, «He's a friend of Chan's, actually»

«Of Chan's?»

His best friend, at this moment, sounds like a broken machine, limited to endlessly repeating Hyunjin's words, and the boy doesn't even understand why – it's certainly not the first time that Hyunjin has mentioned his achievements, after all – but he still wants to clarify the situation.

«Changbin» he explains to him, grabbing Seungmin's arm «You know? His roommate, the black haired one»

Seungmin nods.

«I didn't think you were his type» he says, getting his tea back and giving up drinking it a second later.

«But I am everyone's type» is Hyunjin's answer, while he goes to grab Seungmin's face in his hands to force him to look at his face, the innocent look that contrasts with his mischievous voice.

Seungmin immediately slips away from his grip, Hyunjin's warmth still present on his cheeks, looking at the first thing he has in front of him – the other's new TV, bought only because it looked nice next to the bookshelves – before answering him.

«Sure» is his sarcastic reply, which makes Hyunjin lightly punch his shoulder. Not that there is much sarcasm to be done, since Seungmin actually doubts that there are many people in the entire campus who can say they are immune to the indisputable charm of Hwang Hyunjin.

«Well, we met at the party and I don't know, we've been texting each other»

Seungmin returns to watch Hyunjin, still a few inches from him.

«And?» he invites him to continue, since the boy doesn't seem to want to.

«And nothing. He's cute, I like him» Hyunjin replies. «He's shamelessly trying to mask the fact that he's attracted to me, but I still find him very kind»

Seungmin rolls his eyes, although it is by far the longest description he's ever obtained from the other on a third person. There is something about the matter that worries him, but he decides to keep it for himself, burying it somewhere deep in his mind.

«Try not to break his heart, though» he says, making an effort of keeping the most serious tone he has. «Jisung hates you already, you can't afford to be hated by the rest of Chan's friends too, especially because he would never allow you to ruin his new group»

Hyunjin's glance reminds Seungmin of what a son could do in front of a parent's recommendation, but after all he understands that the other, at least, has absorbed what he has been told.

«Don't worry, I know what I'm doing» he reassures him «It's not like I spend my life stepping on other people's feelings»

Hyunjin laughs, and Seungmin decides to mirror him, mostly because he has absolutely no idea how to reply.

Well, Seungmin hopes that all this won't develop in any way.

After all, it would be a shame to immediately ruin the dynamics of their newborn group.

Seungmin hopes so for Changbin's sake.

At least, that's what he's trying to convince himself.

「 ♡ 」

Felix hears the bell ringing at the same time as the oven alarm that Chan left to preheat goes off and, before he can ask who it is, he sees Jisung leaving his room and rushing towards the door. From said door comes out Minho, who is warmly greeted by both Jisung and Chan, who hears him coming and shouts something from the kitchen.

The blond looks at the newcomer putting his jacket on the coat rack at the entrance, and greets him with a nod only when he sees him getting closer, retrieving a chair and sitting on it. Jisung imitates him and a moment later the four of them find themselves watching a movie – on the normal TV, because Chan somehow forgot to pay his Netflix – that Felix has already seen by the way, the silence that falls momentarily interrupted by the chatting of the other couple making comments on some of the scenes.

Chan chooses one of the advertising breaks to reach them, only to leave something for them to eat as they wait for dinner, and takes advantage of the moment to open the window, with the excuse of changing the air.

The warmth of the apartment cools down with the chilly evening breeze, and Felix finds himself shivering, while he squeezes a little more against the backrest and ponders whether it's a good idea to go and fetch a plaid.

«Are you cold?»

Felix's gaze meets Changbin's, who's sitting next to him, waiting for his answer. He nods faintly, and gets up to actually go and get something warm to put on, when Changbin, without a word, takes off his sweatshirt and puts it on his shoulders. 

The blond immediately huddles inside it, enjoying the warmth of the fabric and the familiar scent of his best friend that invades his nostrils. He murmurs a "thank you" as he squeezes even tighter into the clothing, and Changbin returns to watch the movie.

Felix should do the same, but his gaze ends up lingering on something else.

Changbin's arms have returned to embrace one of the cushions, but now they are uncovered, and Felix can't get his eyes off the way his muscles bend around the object, pale fingers tightened around the fabric.

For a moment, Felix wonders what it would be like to have those arms around his body, and those hands caressing his hair.

Maybe he should think about something else.

Not that he hasn't already asked himself this question countless times.

Well, it's been quite a few years since they first met, and Felix can't even deny that he has a vague crush on the other – crush that, by the way, started the first time they saw each other, at a taekwondo course, when Felix believed he'd found the love of his life in an obsidian-haired senior with an irresistible delinquent air.

That time had ended with a Felix who had been so busy staring at Changbin's biceps that he didn't notice the punch that Changbin was about to throw at him, but at least he could use the excuse of being accompanied to the infirmary with a copious nosebleed to have a chat with the other one.

From there on, he had also discovered that Changbin was not exactly the prototype of a bad boy, that he alternated leather jackets with oversized pink sweatshirts and that sometimes he blushed after receiving a compliment.

Not that Felix had stopped finding him extremely cool.

It was also true that, over time, Felix had also become accustomed to being considered by the other as just a best friend. And he had never complained, for God's sake, but he must also admit that sometimes – read: way too often – he finds himself staring at Changbin for a second too long, wondering how it would be to be able to introduce him to others as something more, maybe.

How it would be to turn next to such an attractive person and be able to say "yes, we're dating".

If he had only been attracted by his beautiful face, maybe, it would be easier.

Instead, Felix finds himself realizing, day by day, just how much his feelings for Changbin have long passed the line of mere physical attraction. 

It's in everyday things: in the way Changbin meets him for breakfast with his hair messed up and he smiles tired, in the times when Changbin remembers every single important date for Felix, and accompanies him to the events that matter for him even if he knows that he'll end up bored. It's in the way his eyes light up when he talks about music, and in the sound of his slightly rough voice when he sings to Felix something that he composed with Jisung. 

It's in the warmth Felix feels when Changbin embraces him, in the little compliments he gives him, in the jokes he uses when Felix is feeling down, and in how he always manages to make Felix feel protected and calm. 

It's in everything that's part of Changbin, and Felix is grateful to have him by his side.

To be able to love him as a best friend, and to hope, one day, to be able to do it for another reason.

«Felix?»

«Huh?»

The blond proceeds to realize that the background noise of the movie is over, and that the TV is no longer even on. Changbin is standing in front of him and he's looking at him with one hand outstretched towards him, whom Felix uses as a lever to stand up.

«Dinner's ready, Chan has already called us twice»

Felix first looks at Changbin, and then at Chan who is looking at them from the kitchen door, apron on and ladle in hand.

«Come on, let's go» Changbin says, and Felix doesn't let him repeat himself.

「 ♡ 」

__

_You opened the group chat_  
** Eight apostles and one Chris(t)**

**Chan**

btw keep yourself free, saturday we're going to have a nice trip ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- who will Felix hand the torch to?  
\- how did Seungmin meet Chan?  
\- do all roads lead to Jin?
> 
> Keep reading to find out!


	4. Where Chan exploits his children's work for (il)licit purposes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> «Felix, I’m going to be your wingman» he says, «Changbin probably won't take long to realize how much better you are than the one he's after now»
> 
> In the few seconds that follow, Jisung watches as about a dozen different feelings flash across Felix’s features. First, his already big eyes widen comically, then a rosy colour takes over his cheeks, only for all colour to fade from his face right after. «Do you really think that would work?» 
> 
> Jisung takes a second to ponder his response. He doesn’t want to give his friend false hope, per se, but when the other option is Hyunjin… «I don’t see why it couldn’t»

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> Thanks to you we're finally on our way to reach our personal goal, so thank you so much to everyone who liked this story or even took his time to read it :)
> 
> Kudos and comments are as always appreciated, stay safe, pay attention to goats and don't hide drugs inside your shoes.  
  
(Also note that this is the first chapter where we don't follow the Aristotelian unities)
> 
> Enjoy your reading!

Saturday morning had greeted Felix with warm rays of golden sunshine and the promise of a pleasant temperature throughout the day.

Which would have been great, if Felix hadn't had to wake up at six o'clock to follow Chan's crazy plans and end up in a remote place forty minutes by car from campus.

(On the other hand, Felix had been able to spend the whole trip on Changbin's motorbike hugging him, so every cloud has a silver lining, he guesses)

He and his seven other unfortunate companions – and Chan – find themselves in front of a small villa of considerable size, that opens in front of a modest garden full of dry leaves.

«Nice, right?»

Chan stands in front of the entrance signing them to enter, and the group hesitantly crosses the threshold, only to end up in a large and bare room dominated by a substantial presence of carmine red. It's welcoming, that’s for sure, but it gives Felix the impression that no one has set foot in it for weeks, if the layer of dust on the furniture is of any indication.

«The family that lives here has been on holiday in the Caribbean since the end of August and has decided to rent it» explains Chan, gesturing to the room «We just have to clean the house and put it back in order once the party is over»

Felix wonders why Chan, who probably has enough money to buy half of the neighbourhood, couldn't hire a cleaning company to do that job, instead of dragging poor students to work their ass off for an entire day.

«Besides, this is the perfect occasion for some bonding activities, you know... to get to know each other a little better»

_Ah, there it is._

The blond stares blankly at his friend as he explains some generalities about which rooms should be arranged and in what way, and then as he proceeds to declare that they would all work much faster if they just divided into pairs. Having said that, Chan and Woojin ditch them to check the capacity of the kitchen refrigerators, leaving everyone else – with the exception of Jisung, who went out to answer a phone call – to decide what to do with their day.

Felix turns to Changbin to ask the boy to join him, hoping he can at least spend his working hours with his best friend, but by the time he manages to frame him his friend is already disappearing behind a door with Hyunjin. 

Before he can actually get upset about it – especially because he has absolutely no idea why they're together, since they haven't known each other long enough and Hyunjin's best friend is here with them – he hears steps behind him, and when he turns around he sees Seungmin climbing the stairs with Jeongin and Minho, the three of them chatting softly. Felix, left alone, considers whether it's a good idea to run after Changbin and ask him if he can join them, but he suddenly remembers Jisung's presence when the blond comes back to the room, looking a little lost when he notices that there's no one left.

«Where's everyone?»

«Chan told us to split up to work and the others, well, split up» Felix explains.

Jisung's gaze takes a second turn around the room, and he frowns for a moment, then he moves closer to Felix and sighs resigned.

«I guess we have no choice, then» he concludes with a short giggle, as he starts walking towards one of the rooms he finds open, his gaze that flies on Felix and invites the boy to follow him with an encouraging smile.

Despite everything, Felix thinks, he can still hope to have fun.

「 ♡ 」

Hyunjin is sitting on the bed’s milk-white plaid, his long legs crossed and the neck of his sweater covering part of his chin, and Changbin has to bite his tongue to avoid telling him he looks like he's from one of those neoclassical paintings in Chan's literature books.

The two of them split up their tasks quite quickly - which translates to the fact that Changbin offered to take care of everything before Hyunjin could even open his mouth – and Hyunjin is just fluffing up the pillows and considering changing the pillowcases, while Changbin tries to focus only on the mop in his hand to avoid thinking about anything else.

«I think that cabinet should be moved near the window, otherwise if someone drunk walks in they’ll bump into it»

Changbin is about to leave what he's doing to go and do exactly what he's been asked - Hyunjin is a design major after all, he knows what he’s talking about. However, he's anticipated by the other, who gets up and goes towards the cabinet, gesturing him to stay where he is.

«I can do it too,» comments Hyunjin, winking, then proceeds to gesture in Changbin’s direction before turning his attention back to the cabinet. «I may not have all those muscles on my arms but I'm not fragile»

Changbin wants to die.

Thank goodness Hyunjin isn't looking at him, because otherwise Changbin knows he wouldn’t be able to face him ever again.

«I don’t think that at all» he just says, refraining from adding any more inappropriate compliments.

Hyunjin puts the furniture down, and by the time he turns around again, Changbin hopes to look more presentable and have a face less prone to the colour of the living room upholstery.

Sadly, his hopes turn out to be vain, if the frown Hyunjin throws at him is of any indication.

«I was joking» he simply says, getting a little closer, before returning to his job.

«I know!» exclaims Changbin, perhaps more embarrassed than before. «I just… I really don’t think so. That you're fragile, I mean. I'm sure you're a very strong person»

For a moment, Hyunjin seems to be taken aback by the compliment, and Changbin is worried that he has talked nonsense again. Unlike his usual reactions to Changbin's awkwardness, however, the other seems more surprised than confused.

«Changbin, I always feel like I'm making you uncomfortable.»

Technically, Hyunjin isn't wrong, but it's also true that Changbin is still more than happy to spend time with the other. If it were up to him, he’d do that as often as possible.

«No, of course not»

Hyunjin raises his face to the ceiling and an indecipherable smile appears on it.

«Maybe you’d have more fun with Felix,» he says. «I didn't talk to him much, but he's fun.»

Changbin is startled by the mention of his friend, and his gaze returns to Hyunjin. Strangely enough, this time it's not to look at the perfect curve of his features, though, but rather at his expression, which seems to have lost its usual provocative sparkle.

«You're fun too,» he replies, and this time he's more than sure of what he says.

Hyunjin's air doesn't change much as he answers him.

«You don't even know me.»

«Well, enough to have an opinion.»

In front of Changbin's gaze, that doesn’t admit any replies, Hyunjin seems to give up, and he just lets himself fall on the bed, black hair scattered on the pillow.

«You're officially the first man to tell me I'm fun, Seo Changbin,» he says. «Except for Seungmin maybe, but I think he kind of has to»

Changbin could spend the rest of the afternoon explaining how interesting it is to talk to Hyunjin about everything and nothing, and see the way he smiles when he talks about what he likes. Or how, when he's not busy making fun of Changbin for his embarrassing outings, his soft, cheerful tone of voice could bring a smile to anyone's face.

Of course, Changbin is biased, and maybe he's put Hyunjin on a pedestal, but he thinks he could do anything with him, regardless of his beautiful face. However, he has to admit that he doesn't know how to line up his thoughts in a coherent speech, so he decides to simply reply to what Hyunjin just said.

«Actually, you’re probably the one who’d have more fun with someone else.» Changbin points out «Like your friend… Seungmin, was it?»

He's afraid of Hyunjin’s reply for a moment, but the latter hurries to deny his statement, causing Changbin to exhale a long sigh.

«I see Seungmin too much, don't worry» he says, back to his usual smile. «We came here together, and he's staying over tonight, I put up with him enough»

There is a sweetness in Hyunjin's voice that betrays his lexical choice, and from the way his face relaxes Changbin can't help but notice the boy's affection for the other. There is a question, however, that comes naturally to Changbin after that moment.

«Wait, are you and Seungmin dating?»

Not that he shouldn't have expected someone like Hyunjin to be single. In fact, he should have been amazed that he wasn't.

While Changbin waits, worried, for an answer, Hyunjin opens his eyes wide for a moment, then looks away.

«No, but everyone seems to think so»

It's the first time since the beginning of their conversations that Hyunjin seems uncomfortable. Changbin, however incredibly reassured, can't do anything but feel sorry for him. After all, it's normal for the other guy to be upset that someone misunderstands his relationship with his best friend - he and Felix have been asked the same question a couple of times, and if Changbin thinks about it, he can still remember the mild embarrassment of those situations.

«Sorry»

Hyunjin's expression immediately changes, and the usual dazzling smile returns to his beautiful face.

«All you do is apologize» he says. «There's no need for that»

Having said that, Hyunjin gets up from the bed and, quickly rearranging the blankets he had crumpled, moves towards Changbin, his hand resting on one of his cheeks. Changbin cannot help but think about how Hyunjin’s fingers are burning hot against his skin despite their ivory colour that reminds him of freshly fallen snow, and for a moment he gets lost in Hyunjin's warmth, almost forgetting where he is and what he is doing.

«If I'm the fun one, then you're the kind one» comments Hyunjin. «It's a good quality.»

Hyunjin is about to leave, his hand already touching the door handle, when Changbin’s voice makes him stop.

«Hyunjin!»

«Yes?»

«Well...»

He curses at himself for all the times he didn't listen to Chan when he tried to tell him about the great art of improvising speeches.

Honestly though, if Hyunjin didn't leave after everything Changbin had said, he'll probably excuse him for yet another awkward line.

«One of these days we should do something together,» he starts, regretting almost every word as it leaves his mouth. «I can't interrupt your rehearsals every time.»

It's a bad excuse, but Hyunjin doesn't seem to care.

«Anytime,» he says, winking again, «You have my number, use it.» 

The door closes behind him, and Changbin stays for a moment staring at the white shutters and embossed decorations, trying to register every word he has heard.

It's a step forward, at least.

「 ♡ 」

«How come you're not with Changbin?» 

Felix is at the top of a ladder, hands pulling the curtain rings off their supports one by one. At Jisung's question, the blond turns around, trying to use his arm as support for the white fabric.

«Hm?»

«Changbin» Jisung repeats, approaching the ladder, «You know, your best friend.» 

«I know who Changbin is» Felix comments, coming down the stairs and folding the curtain, which he places gently on one of the furniture.

Jisung continues quietly picking up the books that the room’s owner had left scattered on the bed, putting them back in one of the drawers, away from any unintentional attacks by drunken students.

«You didn't answer me, though.»

Felix shifts his gaze to the right, and from the intensity with which he stares at the wall Jisung wonders if the other is trying to see through it. In a normal situation, Jisung would worry that the two of them had a fight, but he still saw them coming together, and doubts that they had a fierce argument in the five minutes it took him to close his phone call.

«Actually, I was wondering the same thing» is what Felix says «By the time I turned around, he was already gone»

Jisung is even more puzzled.

«With who?»

After all, there's no one else Changbin would want to spend time with. As far as he can guess – and he knows he's right – Chan and Woojin had probably left together, and no one would willingly take on the role of third-wheel, if they could choose. As for the others, Changbin isn't particularly good friends with any of them, so...

«Hyunjin»

Jisung feels like the ceiling just collapsed onto his head, and with that an annoying little voice in his head tells him that well, he should have seen it coming.

«I didn't know they were friends,» Felix continues, moving the ladder to get the other curtain. «Changbin’s never mentioned him.»

_Thanks God he didn’t, _Jisung thinks, but he refrains from saying it out loud. 

«They’re not» is what he says, «Well, anyway, thank goodness you stayed, I'd rather die than spend the afternoon with those two.» 

Felix looks at him perplexed, as if he doesn’t know whether to be happy for the indirect compliment or simply confused by Jisung's statement. Jisung doesn't really understand why: the fact that he and Hyunjin can't stand each other is well-known, and Felix must have heard it from Chan or that traitor Changbin.

Jisung would be happy to drop the subject and think about something else, like for example ways to make his roommate die a slow and painful death. For a moment Felix indulges him, the silence between the two falling as each one returns to his duties, until the other's voice peeps back from his lips, subtle and almost imperceptible, as if he doesn’t want Jisung to hear it.

«But do you know? Why they're together, I mean.» Felix continues, «I thought you and Hyunjin, you know, hated each other?»

Jisung doesn't reply for a moment – Felix is right, he and Hyunjin hate each other – but when he's about to give an answer, Felix speaks again, a little louder than before.

«Changbin doesn't strike me as the type to want to become friends with someone his friends don't like» the blond insists, pulling down the second curtain and starting to come down, balancing himself with his free arm.

«Changbin doesn't give a fuck about making friends, though» Jisung says «He's trying to hit on him, and Hyunjin’s letting him»

Felix's right foot misses a step and, in an attempt to recover from the fall, the boy drops the curtain, which reaches the floor with a heavy thud. Jisung, who had his back to him, suddenly turns around, looking worried as he tries to see the damage.

«Are you alright?» 

Felix nods thoughtfully as he recovers what he lost and tries to fix the mess he made. He doesn't seem too worried about his condition, and that, if anything, reassures Jisung, who would prefer not to witness any accidental death.

«So Changbin likes Hyunjin, like, in that way?» 

Jisung puffs, wondering why everyone seems to want to bring Hyunjin back into his already stressed existence.

«Yes, Hyunjin has that effect on people, and Changbin has always liked tall people with doll faces,» he tries to dismiss it, eyes that rest on a particularly thick volume by some Russian author that Chan would probably really like.

«Ah»

Felix shuts up, and keeps folding the curtain, which keeps slipping out of his hand and reopening - Jisung doesn’t really understand why he's trying so hard, since their goal is to throw them in the washing machine. His expression is so lost that Jisung wonders if he disapproves of his best friend's bad life choices like he does.

But Felix probably doesn't know Hyunjin too well, so Jisung doesn't think that’s why. There's only one other option left at this point.

«Wait, do you like Changbin?»

The curtain falls a second time from the blond's arms, and he hurries to pick it up, eyes staring at Jisung, big, dark, and full of surprise.

«Uhm… I’m… no… I-I mean» he sighs «Is it that obvious?» 

_Yes._ «Nah, don’t worry»

Jisung's voice overflows with sarcasm, but the blond thinks Felix is too busy worrying about everything else to notice.

On the other hand, now that Jisung knows, it was pretty obvious, especially when he thinks about the fact that Felix spends more time at their apartment than anywhere else, and that Jisung doesn't think he's ever seen him around anyone other than Chan or Changbin, but especially the latter.

«And you’ve never tried to make a move on him?» he's surprised - not that he should, considering the general love impediment that apparently haunts Chan's entire circle of acquaintances, Chan included.

Felix laughs softly, though it seems more like a rash of desperation.

«I wouldn’t even know where to start,» he says, and then moves his gaze to the floor. «And even if I wanted to, he likes Hyunjin apparently» 

Jisung looks back at Felix, with his sweet look and his bright smile and pleasant personality, and wonders why Changbin never realized what kind of person he is letting slip through his fingers.

Maybe Changbin really is dumb.

«It’s not like he’s in love with him» he feels compelled to reassure him - and actually reassure himself, too. «It’s just a stupid crush, give him two minutes, and he realizes what a snake he's dealing with. Especially because, I’m pretty sure Hyunjin doesn’t give a shit about him»

Felix doesn't seem particularly reassured by those words, so Jisung decides to take the matter into his own hands and resolve it properly; for the sake of Felix, Changbin and, above all, himself, who certainly doesn't want to see his roommate with a broken heart and, even worse, doesn't want to risk having Hyunjin as a brother-in-law.

«Felix, I’m going to be your wingman» he says, «Changbin probably won't take long to realize how much better you are than the one he's after now» 

In the few seconds that follow, Jisung watches as about a dozen different feelings flash across Felix’s features. First, his already big eyes widen comically, then a rosy colour takes over his cheeks, only for all colour to fade from his face right after. «Do you really think that would work?» 

Jisung takes a second to ponder his response. He doesn’t want to give his friend false hope, per se, but when the other option is Hyunjin… «I don’t see why it couldn’t» 

Felix smiles and nods. «Thank you.» 

After that, they both look at the clock hanging on the wall, which marks noon and a quarter. It's almost lunchtime, and Jisung knows that if they don't show up in the living room, Chan will personally come to drag them away and make them all eat together.

«We're done here anyway, shall we go?» he proposes then.

Felix is about to follow him, but before the two of them leave, he stops at the door for a moment, looking unsure as if he wants to tell Jisung something he can't express.

«Yeah?»

«Ah, it’s just...» Felix murmurs, freckled cheeks turning pastel red. «Listen, can you not talk to Chan about this?»

It's Jisung's turn to be puzzled. After all, Chan usually has a good eye for these things, if they're not about himself, so it seems strange to him that he never noticed it, or that Felix never told him about it.

«Chan doesn't know?» 

Felix bites his lip, eyes that stop looking at Jisung and point somewhere on the wall.

«No, you know, Chan's like a big brother to me, I feel weird talking to him about this stuff, and Changbin's his roommate too... I don’t know, it’s embarrassing.»

_He's_ my _roommate too_, Jisung thinks, but he refrains from saying it, because Felix isn't really wrong. Anyway, he didn't plan to go around telling everyone about Felix's love life, so it doesn't make much difference to him.

«Your secret is safe,» he comments, and lets the blond walk ahead of him to another room, where he can already hear someone's chatter.

_Ah, it really is hard to be a college student._

「 ♡ 」

Sitting at the corner of the table, Seungmin tries to pay attention to Jeongin's words, who's right next to him, complaining about almost spilling a bottle of nail polish on himself.

Jeongin, Minho, and Seungmin himself spent all morning with the extremely fun task of cleaning one of the villa's three bathrooms, which had resulted in a constant moving and tidying up boxes of makeup and creams left on the shelves, some even open. Between the third cloud of powder that spread through the room while Minho tried to figure out how to close a box, and the fourth perfume that was accidentally sprayed, Seungmin's headache had also decided to come back stronger than before. The boy plans to propose to tidy one of the rooms, in the afternoon, only to lie on a bed and sleep until dinnertime.

At least he doesn't have to work with Hyunjin, who probably didn't lift a finger halfway through the morning.

It's not that Hyunjin's absence was beneficial in any way: on the contrary, perhaps it was even more icing on the cake of Seungmin's worries, given that he hadn't stopped thinking about him and Changbin and what the hell they were doing. After all, Hyunjin had always been quick with his conquests, and it had never happened that he talked to them for more than half an hour.

«Seungmin»

Jeongin's voice, which had continued to talk non-stop for a while, quickly falls into silence. Seungmin, who had ended up gazing at his best friend, sitting with Changbin on the other side of the table talking about God knows what, turns to him again, flaunting a smile.

«Yeah?»

«You look like you're about to fall asleep on your plate» says the other «Or murder someone»

«Or both» continues Minho, who has finished eating and is shifting his attention between the two guys and his phone.

«Well, you're right about the first one» he groans «But no, I was just thinking»

Jeongin looks at Seungmin first, then at the direction he was pointing his eyes on, and then smiles, as if he knows exactly what happened.

«Does it have something to do with Hyunjin leaving you for another guy?»

Seungmin tightens his grip on his chopsticks, but relaxes it a moment later to put them back on the table.

«No» and he's lying, but he hopes Jeongin doesn't notice «I hope he remembers that we're having dinner together, though»

Jeongin suddenly seems very interested.

«Ah, after today's hard work, you'll still have the strength to go out and do stuff?» he sneers, picking up his chopsticks and starting to steal food from Seungmin's plate, who isn't eating anyways «Lucky you»

«Ah, but it's not a big deal» Seungmin hurries to reply «Chan and Woojin are going out and Hyunjin forced me to stay with him»

Not that Hyunjin would need to work hard to get to spend time with Seungmin, but the latter is also happy to have an excuse to see his best friend, although Hyunjin will probably force him to spend the night watching rom-coms and eating salted caramel popcorn.

(It's also true that Seungmin always falls asleep during those marathons, so he assumes that Hyunjin won’t mind if it happens again)

«Where are you going then?»

Seungmin smiles tiredly, finally moving his half-full plate to the other, who accepts it gladly.

«In a Chinese place near campus»

At that point, Minho looks up from the phone and joins the conversation, looking pretty happy to have a topic he can talk about.

«Ah, yes» he says with glittering eyes «I know which one, it’s really good»

Jeongin, who has no idea what place they are talking about, still seems interested at the mention of it– it makes sense, since he probably got tired of eating alone at home too, since Seungmin doubts that he or Minho excel in cooking.

«Sounds nice» he comments «I'll make sure to check it out»

Seungmin quickly looks at his options and thinks about the prospect of spending the whole evening alone with a distracted Hyunjin who will probably only talk about what he did during the day. Although the first part sounds rather pleasant, he really doesn't want to spend his time listening about how funny and nice Changbin is.

«Do you want to join us?» he asks, «Hyunjin is always happy to have more people around»

Jeongin's smile spreads widely. «Sure, thanks»

At that point, the two of them turn to Minho, who shut up and went back to his cell phone.

«Minho, do you want to join too?» offers Seungmin, who doesn't want to give the other one the impression that he's been completely cut out.

Minho looks at him again, almost as if he was surprised by the invite. For a moment, he seems to think about it, as if he has to answer a much more difficult question than the one he was asked.

«Thanks, but I'll pass» he then replies «I have a choreo to rehearse and it's good for me to have the house empty»

«Okay then» Seungmin smiles «If you change your mind, let us know»

Minho tries to say something, but at that moment everyone's attention is drawn by Chan's voice, urging them to put their dishes away and get back to work.

Seungmin sighs and picks up his plate, heading towards the sink to rinse it out, his eyes following Hyunjin who walks away with Changbin.

A long, exhausting afternoon is awaiting them.

「 ♡ 」

«Are you sure you don't want to come back with us?»

Chan looks worried at Jisung, who's leaning against the door jamb. Behind him, Woojin has already started the car, and is waiting for him to reach him, the quiet sound of the engine reminding Chan of his presence. Jisung shakes his head, adjusting his caramel-coloured coat.

«Are you kidding me?» he promptly exclaims «You two are going to the other side of the city, and I don't want to be stuck third-wheeling you in the backseat»

Chan opens his mouth to reply that Jisung is wrong, but the other's glare is enough to make him close it, deciding that it's not the case to argue.

«There's nothing in the fridge, though, so if you and Changbin want to have dinner, pick something up first» he says.

Jisung gives him a bored look, but there's a gentle smile that curves his lips.

«Yes, yes» he reassures him again «Now hurry, Woojin won't wait for you forever»

Almost as if he wanted to stop any more protests from his friend, Jisung returns to the villa, saying he forgot his backpack. Chan, shrugging his shoulders, realizes that it's time to go back to Woojin, and so he does, sitting next to him and enjoying the warmth of the car's heating.

The two of them begin making their way to the restaurant that Woojin has booked for dinner, their chatter interrupted only when Chan starts singing some song on the radio.

«I'm so happy, you know?» Chan starts at a certain point, a hand going to open the dashboard looking for one of those gummy bear packages he knows Woojin leaves there for him. The latter doesn't look away from the road, but nods, asking Chan to pass him a candy.

«Yeah, we did a good job» he then says «I thought it would have taken way longer»

Actually, between one thing and another, it had taken a whole day for them to make sure that every room in the house was ready to welcome guests, but it was also true that the villa was quite big and that the boys had lost a couple of hours just to finish an intense game of Monopoly they had found in one of the rooms.

(Woojin had won, of course, trained by four years of economics and business management to send other people to bankruptcy)

«Sure, but that's not what I was talking about» corrects Chan, his mouth full of strawberry and pineapple flavoured bears «I'm glad that the group could meet again. We work well together, don't we?»

Woojin smiles. «Right»

«It's good that everyone gets along» says Chan «We're so cute»

Woojin brakes at the first red light and this time he turns around to look at Chan, throwing away his package of candies to keep the other one from spoiling his dinner - and ending up in the hospital with early diabetes, mostly because it would be Woojin's job to take care of him.

«Aren't you a little obsessed with this group thing?» he asks, although jokingly «It's not like your life depends on it»

Chan sulks, perhaps more for being deprived of his sweets than from Woojin's actual statement. Especially because the other is exaggerating, as always.

«Absolutely not» he tries to reassure him – Woojin lies when he calls Chan a mother hen, when the one who's always worried seems to be him «I'm just glad my friends are hanging out, that's all»

Woojin surrenders, agrees with him and drops the matter, mainly because he's much more busy trying to follow the directions of the gps, who seems to want them to end up on the other side of the city when the restaurant is barely fifteen minutes away.

Chan stops talking to him, preferring to chat with some friends. It's Woojin, in the end, who breaks the silence on the third phone call Chan makes to one of his classmates, tired of hearing the same two phrases over and over again and having to listen to the whole story of the football team captain's third-year anniversary.

«Are you bringing anyone to the party?»

Chan puts the phone down, staring in amazement at Woojin, who's quietly waiting for his answer.

«Bringing someone?» he echoes him, more and more confused by the question as he elaborates it.

«Yeah, well» Woojin tries to explain «Most people you know are taken and you haven't been on a date since I've known you»

Chan thinks about it a little bit, because in fact Woojin has a point: it was true that in the last five years he had never been interested in having more lasting relationships than the occasional hook-up. There had been some people who had asked him out, before, but they had all been rejected on the spot.

As he ponders, he turns towards Woojin, illuminated almost only by the light of the car's headlights, black hair against an equally dark coat, but with such a sweet aura that it makes the air tremble. And then he thinks there's no one else he'd rather spend his evening with.

«I'm going with you, of course» he says «Unless you want to ditch me for someone else»

Woojin brakes again, deciding not to follow the navigator's directions and trying to figure out which way to turn.

«Of course I'll go with you, otherwise who's going to give you a ride?» is what he says «You insisted so much on getting your licence, but at the end it's always me driving you everywhere»

Chan bursts out laughing, a soft warmth that pervades him with the pleasant feeling of familiarity that he feels only when he is in the company of Woojin, and no one else.

«How would I live without you?»

The reply comes quickly, a line used countless times to answer the same question, as if it was the most obvious thing to say.

«You wouldn't, clearly»

It's just a joke, but Woojin has no idea of how right he is.

「 ♡ 」

«Why are you still here?»

Minho winces as his eyes frame Jisung, who has just caught up with him.

«I was picking up some stuff» he defends himself, taking the jacket off the coat rack and mentally arguing for a good moment with the zipper.

After his third failed attempt, Jisung tries to help him, hands making a move to wave away Minho's to try and release the zipper, which he manages to free with a tug. Minho, who wants to thank him, realizes how close the two are right now, which leads him to have the two almost simultaneous reactions of glancing at Jisung's lips and taking a couple of quick steps back.

His eyes don't stray too far from what they were looking at anyway.

«You're lucky I came back, Chan was about to lock you in» Jisung says laughing, jingling the keys in his hand, which Chan probably gave him.

«My saviour, how can I repay you?»

Minho winks at Jisung, who flinches at the other's mischievous expression and strategically decides to ignore everything he's just heard. The brunette can't help but find it hilarious.

«Are you taking the bus?» Jisung changes the subject after a moment of silence «We can go back together»

Minho nods and he walks with the other to the stop of the bus they both have to take. It's a quiet trip: Jisung leans over Minho's shoulder, claiming to be uncomfortable otherwise, and Minho pretends that he’s annoyed by the other's blonde hair tickling his neck, while he tries to distract himself by looking at the road from the window.

There is one stop missing from theirs, when Minho hears Jisung snorting, and he puts his attention back on the blond, as if he hadn't been hyper-aware of his presence at his side anyway.

«Is something wrong?»

«Ah, nothing» Jisung says «I just remembered that Chan left the fridge empty and I have to go get food for Binnie and I»

In Minho's head pops an idea, which the boy tries to bury immediately. He had already refused an invitation to dinner to take advantage of the free house and be a good student, he can't contradict himself after a few hours.

To be honest, however, he had completely lied about having a choreography to rehearse, and when he makes an effort to think about it there is nothing urgent to do, and he would lie to himself if he said he didn't want to spend the evening with that ray of sunshine that is Han Jisung.

Minho is a weak person, after all.

«Why don't you come over?» he blurts «I owe you a dinner, and Jeongin's not here tonight»

Jisung seems to light up at the invitation and promptly accepts, taking his phone out of his pocket, saying he wants to warn Changbin to stay with Felix.

The walk to Minho's house is short, and Jisung doesn't even complain about having to climb the three flights of stairs because someone is occupying the elevator. The blond then makes his way inside the apartment, going straight to the kitchen.

«I'm not a really good cook» Minho states, trying to find something edible for his guest in the fridge – he should go to the supermarket more often, dammit «Do you like fried rice?»

The other gladly accepts the offer, and the two start cooking, Jisung immediately offering his help and Minho accepting just so they can have a conversation while they wait for their dinner to get ready.

There's pork belly sizzling in a pan, which Minho checks from time to time while slicing some spring onions. The boy tries hard to concentrate on what he's doing, but it proves to be particularly difficult, especially since Jisung won't stop staring at him.

«You're not that bad, actually» comments the blond, hands dyed red by the liquid from the kimchi he's cutting, while Minho pours the content of his cutting board into the pot, stirring briefly.

«As a cook or as a person?» Minho jokes, lowering the heat and going to check the rice, setting it aside to cool.

Jisung, whose stare is still fixed on the brunette, loses his grip on the knife for a moment, almost cutting himself. Minho, again, can't stop thinking about how easy the other one is to tease, and how fun it is to do so.

(And he's not using it as a defense mechanism to distract himself from being alone with the college's best-looking guy, not at all.)

«The first one» Jisung replies after a bit, now back on focusing entirely on what he's doing «I mean, the second one too»

«Thank you» is what Minho says «You're not that bad either»

Minho realizes he's potentially walking on a minefield, but it doesn't bother him that much. It's true, many people wouldn't like to be mocked by the cafeteria's avocado guy, but it's also true that Jisung isn't just anyone, and that Minho thinks that, given the people the blond hangs out with, he'll have found himself in more embarrassing situations than a dinner with a college boy in gay panic.

And anyway, it's Jisung's fault, for being cute and nice and making Minho doubt every life choice he's ever made.

«I'm serious, though, where did you learn how to cook?»

Jisung breaks the silence by approaching Minho and adding kimchi to the mixture he's cooking – he ended up chopping way too much of it, but the other doesn't feel like pointing it out.

«Well, you know. As I said, my roommate was never there and after a year I got tired of eating nothing but canned food» Minho explains «But this is the highest level I can reach»

«Nice» Jisung falls on a chair, crossing his legs «Chan always cooks for us, but I learnt to make something when I was in Malaysia for my year abroad»

Minho nods, and from there on Jisung begins to tell the amazing adventures of his stay, taking Minho on a journey through narrow spice scented alleys, royal palaces covered with golden lights and skyscrapers high enough to touch the clouds. The blond talks and talks, and Minho wonders if it's only an impression of his or if Jisung could make interesting even an advanced calculus lesson – full offense to advanced calculus professors, of course.

Perhaps it is because Jisung always speaks with a blinding smile on his face, or because his enthusiasm could drag someone like Minho everywhere.

Between one anecdote and another, the rice is ready, and Minho fetches a couple bowls to serve it, after he fried some eggs to use as a garnish. A moment later the two of them are both eating, and maybe the presentation isn't the best, the table isn't set and Minho's cooking is far from being like Chan's, but the brunette can say he's rarely been so satisfied with something he's prepared.

At some point, Jisung's phone rings. The boy goes to answer it, but when he sees who it is he immediately closes it, putting it on silent mode and leaving the item on the table, the screen facing down.

«Who was it?» Minho tries to understand, after seeing Jisung's annoyed expression and worrying that something has happened.

The other one calms him down, going back to eating. «No one, really. A girl I dated a while ago. She's been calling me since this morning, as if we had met more than a few times»

Minho smirks at that statement and, placing his empty bowl on the table, he leans towards Jisung.

«You said a lot about me, but look who's the popular one» he whistles, amused «But it must be easy, for guys like you, to find people to flirt with»

Jisung pretends that what Minho said didn't touch him at all, getting up to get more rice.

«Maybe» he admits, looking endearingly flushed.

«You're lucky, for us it's so hard... the cute ones are always a bunch of straights»

Minho keeps insisting, and for a moment his gaze intertwines with Jisung's. To be honest, for once the brunette wasn't even alluding to Jisung while he was talking, but it's hard not to think about it, when the other guy is standing in front of him, blond, gorgeous and bright.

Minho thinks that the anonymous girl they're talking about shouldn't be blamed for wanting to contact him again.

«I'm sure you'll find someone too» Jisung then goes on to add.

«Hopefully»

Minho mocks him, but after all, he's not worried at all. God knows how many people he's managed to pick up, inside and outside campus.

After that the two of them have time to chitchat for a little while before dinner ends, and even though Minho protests Jisung decides to wash the dishes he used himself, leaving them to dry by the sink.

It has gotten pretty late and Jisung notices it, dangling back and forth as he looks at the clock.

«I think I should go» he says.

Minho looks at him as he retrieves his things and thinks that it's starting to get pretty cold outside, that maybe the buses are not circulating anymore, and that there would be no harm in asking Jisung if he wants to stay over. His sofa-bed is quite comfortable, and when his first roommate was still there Chan would sometimes sleep on it, when he drove Minho home from some party where he had dragged him.

It is also true that he and Jisung saw each other thrice, and for some reason asking him to stay the night sounds way more inappropriate than it should.

«Good night, Minho, see you soon»

«Good night» he replies, and with that Jisung leaves. Minho doesn't move for a while, before going to get ready to go to sleep.

For some reason, even after years of living without anyone, his apartment suddenly seems unbearably quiet.

「 ♡ 」

**Jisung**

hey lix  
just letting you know that i’m having dinner at minho’s  
which means that binnie is home alone  
and y’know how they say  
carpe diem ;))))))

**Felix**

oh, ok  
thanks for telling me :D

**Jisung**

so  
how did it go? ;)

****

**Felix**

normal, we went to KFC

**Jisung**

ohh, sexy  
and?

****

**Felix**

and nothing  
that’s literally it

**Jisung**

wdym nothing??  
you just sat there eating chicken in silence?

**Felix**

no, obv, not  
we talked as usual but nothing really happened??  
oh  
except

**Jisung**

except?????

**Felix**

except i went to the restroom

**Jisung**

oh wow

****

**Felix**

wait  
i went to the restroom and there were no urinals  
and idk  
i really dont know why  
it just didnt come to my mind  
that like  
that was fucking weird

**Jisung**

oh my god shwjs

**Felix**

and wait  
here comes the best part  
bc I get stuck in the stall  
bc obviously the door handle is fucking broken  
and obviously I left my phone with changbin  
so i scream

**Jisung**

FELIX WTF AHBKSHHA

****

**Felix**

I KNOW  
so i screamed until some girls came to save me  
bc OBVIUOSLY that was the women bathroom  
and that’s why there were no urinals and im a fucking idiot  
i swear i wanted to die  
can you believe????  
i screamed so hard that probably everyone in that damn KFC heard me

**Jisung**

i’m so sorry felix but this is actually hilarious ahahsjkshb im sorry

****

**Felix**

oh don’t worry  
i think changbin found it hilarious too  
he laughed so hard he started crying

**Jisung**

oof  
well, at least you made him laugh???  
and then?

****

**Felix**

and then i paid for both  
bc changbin left his wallet at home

**Jisung**

ripp  
and what did he say?

****

**Felix**

“thanks bro”

**Jisung**

aw felix, im sorry

****

**Felix**

yeah, no, don’t be  
i already knew i had no chance

**Jisung**

don’t say that!!!  
no, im serious  
you’re perfect felix, trust me  
he’s just really really really oblivious  
we’re going to find a way to let him understand that he’s being blind  
i promise

****

**Felix**

thank you, sungie  
really  
and goodnight

**Jisung**

goodnight lix

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> – Did Hyunjin let his black hair scatter in the breeze?  
– Did we forget about the party?  
– Who knows about Felix's crush?  
– Will it be a Great Gatsby-style party or a Great Gatsby-style funeral?  
– Is Woojin Zelda?
> 
> Comment your answers below! ✿


End file.
